Opinion | Resolve legal hurdles to relief and property rights for families of the missing
Summary
Families of people missing in the Bhotekoshi flood are unable to access government relief or claim property rights because Nepal’s laws require a death certificate or a 12-year presumption of death. The article urges immediate legal changes so bereaved families can receive support without waiting years for formal declarations.
Key Points
- The Bhotekoshi flood has left 5,179 people missing, while the confirmed death toll has reached 1,399.
- Families cannot access government relief or transfer ancestral property without a death certificate, which is unavailable unless death is legally presumed.
- Nepal’s Civil Code generally requires 12 years of disappearance before a person can be presumed dead, though a court declaration is possible after disasters.
- The article calls on the government to amend the law and remove legal barriers for missing persons’ families.
