Nepal officially records its first same-sex marriage

Five months after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, Nepal officially records its first such marriage.

According to PTI, Sanjib Gurung (Pinky), the president of the Blue Diamond Society, an organization that promotes the rights and welfare of sexual minorities in Nepal, confirmed that Maya Gurung, a 35-year-old transgender woman, and Surendra Pandey, a 27-year-old gay man, were legally married at Dordi Rural Municipality in the Lamjung district of Western Nepal.

Nepal became the first country in south asia to register same sex marriage

In light of the decision made by the Supreme Court, Nepal is now the first country in South Asia to officially acknowledge and register a same-sex marriage.

The 2015 constitution, which expressly forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation, further solidifies the 2007 ruling by Nepal's Supreme Court permitting marriages between people of the same gender.

However, in response to a writ petition filed by several people, including Gurung, the Supreme Court issued an interim order on June 27, 2023, formally legalizing same-sex marriage in Nepal.

Kathmandu district dismissed this decision few months ago

The Kathmandu District Court dismissed the move four months ago, citing the lack of necessary legal frameworks, despite this historic decision.

Maya and Surendra Pandey's application for marriage was turned down at the time, according to PTI. Pinky told PTI that she was delighted to hear about this and that it represents a significant accomplishment for the Nepalese third-gender community. We applaud this decision because this is the first case in all of South Asia, including Nepal.

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Since the last six years, the couple has been living together as a married couple

With the approval of their families, Surendra, a native of the Nawalparasi district, and Maya, who was born in the Lamjung district, got married in a customary manner. They have spent the last six years living together as a married couple.

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