Kathmandu, February 18

Legislation Committee of the Parliament will debate tomorrow on the quantum of punishment bill.

If provisions relating to quantum of punishment are enacted into law, Nepal will be the first country in South Asia to introduce such law.

According to Rewati Raman Bhandari, a member of the Legislation Committee, after the bill is passed, a judge will make two verdicts in criminal cases. “In the primary verdict, the court will decide whether or not an accused is guilty and in the second verdict the court will decide the quantum of punishment,” he said.

Bhandari also informed that the second verdict would be announced within a month from the date of primary verdict. The sentencing law would apply only in those cases where the convicts will face three years of imprisonment or more.

The court will consider the past records of the culprit’s character, social behaviour and involvement in criminal activities before fixing the quantum of punishment. According to Bhandari, the court will also take into account the motive of the culprit and circumstances under which the crime took place.

Australia, USA, New Zealand and other countries already have laws relating to quantum of punishment.  The House Panel has already endorsed the Civil Code and National Penal Code.