Nepal registers first same-sex marraige

KATHMANDU: Dordi Rural Municipality in Lamjung district registered Nepal’s first same-sex marriage on Wednesday.

Ram Bahadur Gurung of Dordi-2 filed an application at the Ward-2 Office to register his marriage with Surendra Pandey of Kawasoti Municipality-8 in Nawalparasi district.

Initially, the Ward-2 Office refused to register the marriage. However, the couple filed a complaint against the ward office at the Department of National ID and Civil Registration. The department later advised the Ward Office to register the marriage, following the Supreme Court’s verdict, by maintaining temporary documentation.

In the marriage registration certificate issued by the Ward Office, Surendra Pandey has been identified as the bridegroom, and Ram Bahadur Gurung as the bride.

On June 28, the Supreme Court directed the government to register the marriages of same-sex and traditional non-heterosexual couples. The top court issued the interim order after hearing a writ petition registered by different rights groups.

According to the ruling, the government is required to establish an interim mechanism to register such marriages until the final verdict is issued.