KATHMANDU, July 27: In Kathmandu, which has the highest number of cases among all districts across the country, an average of 13 divorce cases are filed daily over the course of a year. According to data from courts nationwide, divorce cases are the most frequently filed. After marriage, legal separation requires filing for divorce in court. In the fiscal year 2023/24, as many as 4,466 couples filed for divorce at the Kathmandu District Court.
Based on this, it appears that an average of 13 couples per day sought legal separation through the court in Kathmandu over the past fiscal year. According to Ramu Sharma, a registrar at the Kathmandu District Court, divorce cases were the second most common type of case filed in the fiscal year 2023/24. It is estimated that the high number of cases at the Kathmandu District Court is due to many people from across the country residing in the federal capital city, Kathmandu.
According to data from the Supreme Court, in the fiscal year 2022/23, a total of 40,183 couples filed for divorce across courts in the country. Analyzing this data shows that, on average, 111 couples filed for divorce daily at courts across the country during that fiscal year.
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Judge Kamal Prasad Pokhrel of the Kathmandu District Court says that couples coming to the court for divorce are advised to seek reconciliation whenever possible. He said that many of those seeking divorce are couples under the age of 30. However, the district court does not maintain specific data by age. "The increase in divorce cases is a subject of study," Judge Pokhrel said, adding, "When asked in court, they often cite incompatibility as the reason."
The data shows that 7,957 cases have been filed for banking offenses and 3,870 cases for dishonored checks.
Cases related to transactions have also been filed in courts, with 2,664 transaction-related cases registered. Additionally, cases have been filed for crimes such as theft and robbery, drug offenses, fraud, criminal treachery, sexual offenses, and homicide.
Compared to the previous fiscal year, there has been some improvement in the number of cases resolved in the last fiscal year. In the fiscal year 2022/23 only 42.18 percent of cases were resolved, whereas in the fiscal year 2023/24, this percentage increased to 46.74 percent. However, issues with the implementation of decisions often arise due to delays in proceedings.
The Kathmandu District Court has resolved 50 percent of the applications for the enforcement of judgments. Gopal Prasad Adhikari, the judgment enforcement officer, stated that there are significant challenges in completing the enforcement process. Individuals residing in the districts outside Kathmandu face significant difficulties in meeting deadlines.
It is reported that changing residences and addresses makes it challenging to meet deadlines for enforcement. Currently, 4,128 years of imprisonment remain to be served, affecting 41,308 individuals. Additionally, 823 people still need to be arrested from abroad. The official also said that Rs 9.51 billion in fines are yet to be collected.
Out of the 43 approved positions for judges at the Kathmandu District Court, 31 are currently serving. The court also has a family bench that handles cases related to women's issues, including violence against women and domestic abuse.
