KATHMANDU, Aug 6: Nepal’s federal parliament has received a package of nine bills aimed at reshaping key areas of governance, justice delivery, social protection and administrative reform.
The government has registered nine bills with the Federal Parliament Secretariat, including amendments to the Mediation Amendment Act, 2068 BS, and the Act Relating to Salary, Service Conditions and Facilities of Officials of Constitutional Bodies, 2053 BS. Of the total bills, seven have been registered in the House of Representatives (HoR) and two in the National Assembly.
Among the major proposals, the Mediation Amendment Bill, 2083 BS seeks to reduce pressure on courts by strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and giving a greater role to local-level judicial bodies.
The bill proposes recognising local-level judicial committees as “case adjudication bodies" that allow trained district judges in courts with five or more judges to serve as mediators without additional remuneration. It also introduces technology-based mediation by allowing dispute resolution proceedings through video conferencing.
To facilitate faster settlement of commercial disputes, the bill proposes establishing a Commercial Sector Mediation Promotion Committee. It also includes provisions to implement mediation agreements prepared under foreign laws through district courts if they meet required conditions. Mediation coordination committees will be established at federal, provincial and local levels.
Another key bill, the Remuneration, Conditions of Service and Facilities of Office-Bearers of Constitutional Bodies (First Amendment) Bill, 2083 BS, seeks to prevent the state from bearing double financial burdens by restricting the simultaneous receipt of pension and salary from government funds.
The bill, introduced in line with a Supreme Court directive issued in the Kayo Devi Yami case, proposes that individuals receiving government pensions will not be allowed to draw pensions while serving as heads or officials of constitutional bodies. However, those wishing to combine their previous government service and constitutional tenure for pension calculation must return the pension amount received during their constitutional appointment to the Federal Consolidated Fund.
The government expects that the implementation of these bills will make justice delivery at local and commercial levels faster and more technology-friendly while improving financial discipline in public administration.
Stack of bills stalled in National Assembly
Tougher measures against human trafficking
The Bill to Amend the Human Trafficking and Smuggling (Control) Act, 2064 BS aims to align Nepal’s legal framework with the United Nations Palermo Protocol and the National Policy, 2082 BS.
The bill proposes making all three tiers of government—federal, provincial and local—responsible for controlling human trafficking. It will also apply to Nepali citizens involved in trafficking-related offences abroad.
The proposed law expands the definition of exploitation by including sexual exploitation through electronic platforms, forced labour and organ harvesting. In the case of children, separating them from their families with the intention of exploitation will be considered trafficking regardless of their consent.
The bill proposes separate anti-trafficking committees at district, provincial and central levels. Those convicted of trafficking offences may face up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 400,000. The entire fine collected from offenders will be provided as compensation to victims.
It also includes stronger protection measures for victims, including restrictions on publishing their names or photographs without consent and mandatory access to interpreters and counsellors during investigation and court proceedings.
New framework to protect children from labour exploitation
The government has also introduced the Bill to Amend and Consolidate the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2083 BS, aimed at eliminating hazardous child labour and strengthening protection for children.
The bill defines anyone below 18 years as a child and prohibits the employment of children below 15 years in any work except activities related to child development.
Children above 13 years may engage in limited light work outside school hours with parental consent, provided the work does not exceed two hours per day and 12 hours per week.
The bill bans child labour in hazardous sectors, including brick kilns, gravel crushing industries, alcohol and tobacco industries, public transport and casinos. It limits working hours for children to six hours per day and 36 hours per week, with mandatory breaks.
Night work has been prohibited, preventing children from working between 6 pm and 6 am. The bill also guarantees equal pay for equal work, Social Security Fund (SSF) affiliation and mandatory annual health check-ups.
Employers violating child labour provisions may face imprisonment of up to three months or a fine of up to Rs 100,000, or both. The penalty increases for hazardous work, forced labour and repeated offences.
Passport law overhaul proposed
The Passport (First Amendment) Bill, 2083 BS, registered in the HoR, proposes significant changes to Nepal’s passport system by defining passports as biometric/electronic identity documents that also provide diplomatic protection from the Government of Nepal.
The bill clarifies that training, meetings, conferences and foreign missions conducted through government decisions will fall under “government work”.
It proposes issuing two-year temporary passports to minors who cannot provide biometric information or have not obtained citizenship after turning 16. Children born abroad would be eligible for five-year passports based on birth certificates, while provisions have also been introduced to recognise a mother’s self-declaration where the father’s identity is unknown.
The bill allows private organisations or other agencies to assist with biometric data collection and passport applications abroad. Applicants would only need to present original citizenship or identification documents and could obtain passports from any accessible mission or department regardless of whether the application was submitted inside or outside Nepal.
It also clarifies rules regarding diplomatic and special passports issued to federal, provincial and local officials. Such passports can be used for private visits for a maximum of 30 days (90 days for mission employees) and must be returned after officials leave their posts.
Strict penalties have been proposed for passport misuse, including the use of fake citizenship documents or altered details. Offenders may face fines ranging from Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000, imprisonment of one to three years, or both.
The proposed reforms, once enacted, are expected to bring significant changes to Nepal’s justice system, governance mechanisms, child protection framework and passport administration.
