Same sex marriage gets legal recognition

BANKE: The same sex marriage of 33-year-old Anju Devi Shrestha of Bardiya and Suprita Gurung, 33, of Tanahu has been legally recognised. Shrestha, a resident of Badhaiyatal-2, Bardiya and Gurung from Bandipur-5, Tanahu are both women.

Their marriage got legal recognition with the Badhaiyatal Rural Municipality, Ward No. 2 Office registering the marriage. Shrestha and Gurung turned their love relation into marriage some five years back.

Deepak Nepali, ward secretary and civil registration officer of Badhaiyatal-2, said that Anju and Suprita had submitted an application with the Ward Office on January 18, 2024 for registering their marriage and the Office issued the marriage registration certificate on Sunday, in coordination with the technical section of the Department of National ID and Civil Registration.

The certificate mentions that the marriage has been temporarily registered for the time being until the formulation of the related law, said Rural Municipality’s chief administrative officer Arjun Subedi.

Anju currently lives at Kohalpur-5 in Banke district while Suprita resides in Britain.

“We came to know each other through Facebook when studying in Grade 12. We decided to marry as our relationship got closer and deeper,” said Anju, speaking in a press conference organised in Nepalgunj on Monday.

“We married according to religious custom after we fell in love and started living together,” she added. According to her, they tied the nuptial knot at the Chhanchhangdi Temple at Waling, Syangja five years back.

Although they were looked down upon by their families and relatives before this, now they are supported.

The Paschim Tara Nepal, Nepalgunj and Mayako Pahichan Nepal, Kathmandu, the two social organisations advocating for the rights and identity of sexual and gender minority communities, have said the registration of the marriage between Anju and Suprita has backed up their campaign.