BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
Finally, Nepal has marriage equality. On June 18, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a binding directive ordering the government to guarantee equal marriage rights for gender and sexual minorities. The legal fight took nearly 20 years.
The court also dismissed a counter-writ petition opposing the rights, filed by Yuvraj Paudel, and directed the government to update the civil code to remove discriminatory language and establish a separate marriage registry for same-sex couples.
Four rulings across nearly two decades
This is not Nepal’s first Supreme Court decision on the subject. It is the fourth.
The Blue Diamond Society, Nepal’s leading LGBTQ+ rights organization, put it plainly: “The ruling is now the fourth Supreme Court decision over nearly two decades that makes clear: the freedom to marry the person you love is a guarantee under Nepal’s Constitution.”
The legal history goes back to the 2007 Sunil Babu Pant vs. Nepal government case, which first established constitutional protections for sexual and gender minorities. A 2023 interim ruling then provisionally recognized same-sex marriages while the final case was pending. Nine activists originally brought the suit, challenging laws that restricted marriage to a man and a woman.
By early 2026, 35 same-sex marriages had been documented by local LGBTQ+ rights organizations, nine confirmed by local media. Those couples now have a binding ruling.
What the directive requires
Nepal’s Supreme Court has final authority to interpret the constitution. The government has no legal option but to comply. The directive requires updating the civil code to strip discriminatory language and giving same-sex couples equal access to marriage registration.
Sunil Babu Pant, the human rights activist, monk, and former politician who brought the 2007 case, welcomed the verdict. “This ruling marks a historic milestone for equality, dignity, and human rights in Nepal, while providing crucial legal clarity and protection for the rights of same-sex couples,” they said. “It confirms that gender and sexual minority couples are entitled to equal protection of the law.”
The Blue Diamond Society was blunter: “LGBTQIA+ couples and their families must be afforded the dignity, respect, and protections that only marriage can provide.”
The gap between ruling and reality
The legal victory is real. So is the history.
Nepal’s governments have a record of ignoring or delaying Supreme Court directives, sometimes for years. The Blue Diamond Society said they were “excited to witness the next steps from the Government in translating this ruling into practice.” That’s a patient way to put it, from people who have been at this for two decades.
For the 35 couples who registered under the 2023 interim order, the uncertainty is over. The directive is binding. Whether the government moves quickly or stalls is a different question. A familiar one, too.
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