Supreme Court backlog prompts proposal to narrow appeals and expand lower court powers
Summary
Nepal’s Supreme Court is facing a backlog of 30,853 cases, prompting a proposal to narrow its jurisdiction and expand the powers of District and High Courts. The Judicial Administration Improvement Study Committee has recommended amendments to 41 laws, including creating labor courts in all seven provinces and shifting several appeals to lower courts.
Key Points
- The Supreme Court’s case burden has risen to 30,853, with 1,586 cases older than five years and 11,218 older than two years.
- A Judicial Administration Improvement Study Committee has proposed narrowing Supreme Court appeals and expanding the jurisdiction of District and High Courts.
- The report recommends labor courts in all seven provinces, transferring some tribunal appeals to district courts, and widening the High Court Commercial Bench.
- Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma has received the report, but its implementation remains uncertain because earlier reform reports were often shelved.
