Call to amend Civil Code

Kathmandu, Aug 18 - Legal experts and indigenous leaders have underlined the need to amend the Civil Code to make it progressive as it still has some discriminatory provisions.
"The Civil Code is still narrow-minded and discriminatory against non-Hindu people. These provisions should be amended," said Dr Om Gurung, an indigenous leader.
Gurung was speaking at a discussion program on the Civil Code and Human Rights organized by Human Rights Committee of Nepal Bar Association to mark the 43rd Civil Code Day.
The Civil Code day has been celebrated since 1963, the year when racial and caste discrimination was eliminated in the law by amending the Civil Code of 1853.
Addressing the program, Supreme Court Justice Anup Raj Sharma said the apex court was conscious about safeguarding the rights of the people and has been working in this direction. He was of the opinion that the apex court had passed a number of orders to amend discriminatory provisions in the Civil Code.
He also stressed that efforts should be made toward making the provisions in the Civil Code progressive if the present ones are found to be obsolete.
Senior Advocate Bishwa Kant Mainali, who also heads the Human Rights Committee of Nepal Bar Association(NBA), NBA President Shambhu Thapa, and its General Secretary Madhav Banskota also stressed on timely and progressive changes in the Civil Code.