KATHMANDU, Feb 7: The Nepal Law Commission has proposed extending the filing deadline for complaints of cybercrimes against women to 90 days.
Currently, the law requires filing complaints related to cybercrimes against women within 35 days. The Law Commission aims to draft a law to extend this deadline to 90 days.
Section 74 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 BS sets the filing deadline for complaints. Subsection 1 states, "If someone violates this Act or any rule made under it, or commits an offense under this Act, the complainant must file the complaint within ‘35 days’ from the date they discover the violation or offense."
The Commission has proposed extending the deadline to ‘90 days’. It has drafted amendments to Nepalese laws related to sexual violence and sent them to the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.
Section 2 of the proposed bill seeks to change the filing deadline provision in Section 74 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 BS.
It states, "If an offense occurs under Subsection (3) of Section 47, the complainant must file the complaint within ‘90 days’ from the date the offense is discovered. For any other offense or violation of this Act or its rules, the complainant must file the complaint within ‘35 days’ from the date the offense or violation is discovered."
It states, "Anyone who harasses, annoys, insults, or commits any other indecent act towards a woman through electronic means, such as a computer or the internet, will face a fine of up to Rs 100,000,or imprisonment for up to five years, or both."
In other words, anyone who harasses, annoys, or insults a woman through electronic means will face a fine of up to one hundred thousand rupees, imprisonment for up to five years, or both. The proposal suggests extending the filing deadline for such offenses to ‘90 days’.