Nepal’s Supreme Court is drowning in unresolved cases
Summary
Nepal’s Supreme Court is overwhelmed with over 27,000 pending cases, causing extensive delays in justice delivery and prompting calls for judicial reforms including redefining court jurisdiction and increasing the number of justices.
Key Points
- Nepal Supreme Court currently faces over 27,000 pending cases with some unresolved for more than seven years.
- The backlog is due to a shortage of justices, frequent hearing postponements, and an overwhelming caseload.
- Legal experts and the Nepal Bar Association propose expanding the number of justices and limiting Supreme Court jurisdiction to serious constitutional matters.
- Proposals also include strengthening lower courts' authority to reduce the Supreme Court's caseload and improve timely justice.
