Supreme Court issues interim order to ensure transitional mechanism to ensure marriage registration of same-sex couples

KATHMANDU, June 29: The Supreme Court of Nepal issued an interim order on Wednesday, directing the Office of Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers (OPMCM) and other concerned ministries to establish a transitional mechanism ensuring the registration of marriages for the non-traditional heterosexual couples. This order recognizes the marriage rights of individuals based on their gender identity and sexual orientation, calling for necessary amendments to the provisions related to marriage and registered marriages within the current Civil Code, 2074.

To facilitate the process, the court further directed the government to establish a separate register of marriages for such couples from sexual and gender minority communities. Until the law is revised, provisional measures will be implemented through appropriate mechanisms for all applicants as well as others equal to applicants (meaning any members of sexual and gender minority communities).