Nepal courts refuse register same sex marriages
In Nepal, Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey find themselves ensnared in a judicial quagmire, their matrimonial bond unacknowledged by two subordinate judiciaries, a blatant disregard of the apex court’s provisional mandate to authenticate unions of analogous nature. Gurung, a transgender woman, yet legally identified as a male, and Pandey, a cisgender male, solemnized their vows in a Hindu rite back in 2017. Their quest for official acknowledgment commenced at the Kathmandu District Court in June, an endeavor inspired by the Supreme Court’s directive.
Alas, their aspirations were thwarted; the district court, unyielding in its stance, declined the acknowledgment of a union devoid of a legal male and female entity. Undeterred, the couple escalated their plea to the Patan High Court, only to encounter a similar rebuff.
The intricate dance of legalities and societal norms casts a shadow over Gurung and Pandey’s union, a testament to the ongoing struggle for recognition and acceptance. Each sentence, a symphony of complexity, weaves the narrative of their journey, echoing the broader discourse on rights, identity, and love’s unyielding power to transcend constructed boundaries. Read full article