Key Takeaways:

• 352 of 759 cases filed in FY 2025/26 were divorce-related
• Other major cases: 91 partition disputes, 38 cannabis, 31 rape
• Judge cites foreign employment, hardship, violence, mistrust, social media
• Court disposed of 653 cases (86%), leaving 106 pending

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 5 Divorce petitions accounted for almost one in every two cases registered at the District Court in Dhankuta during the last fiscal year, highlighting a sharp shift in the district's legal caseload. According to data released by the court on Tuesday, 352 of the 759 cases registered in fiscal year 2025/26 were divorce-related, making them the largest category of cases filed during the year. Other major cases included 91 partition disputes, 38 cannabis-related narcotics cases, 31 rape cases, 18 brown heroin-related offences and 17 other narcotics cases. District Judge Harish Chandra Ingnam attributed the rise in divorce petitions to a combination of socio-economic factors, including prolonged separation of spouses due to foreign employment, financial hardship, domestic violence, growing mistrust between couples, the influence of social media, changing lifestyles and increased legal awareness among women. He added that the trend could also reflect improved public access to legal services and growing confidence in the judicial system, encouraging more people to seek legal remedies. Despite the growing caseload, the court reported a high disposal rate. It settled 653 cases, or 86 per cent of all cases registered during the fiscal year, leaving 106 cases pending at the end of the reporting period.