Battling the court backlogs

The judiciary’s failure to deliver justice promptly is tantamount to denying justice altogether.

Nepal’s judiciary has had a reputation for being a sturdy pillar advocating the protection and promotion of democratic values and the fundamental rights of citizens. The primary responsibility of the judiciary is to interpret and uphold the constitution and other legislation. However, a stack of unresolved cases and the inability of the judiciary to settle the disputes have frustrated the citizens. As of July 16, 2023, the Supreme Court had 28,434 pending cases. Of these, 15,149 cases are over two years old, and 4,168 cases are lingering for over five years. These statistics demonstrate how the pending cases are overwhelming Nepal’s courts and significantly hindering justice, raising concerns about the integrity of the whole judicial system.