SC moved against caste discrimination

Kathmandu, November 17:

A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed at the Supreme Court today, seeking the apex court’s order to government including the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to promulgate a law to criminalise caste discrimination.

Accusing the current legal provision of having failed to punish the accused even after abolishing caste-based discrimination, the petitioner sough another specific and effective law to effectively abolish caste discrimination.

According to the petitioner, the Adalko Mahal Chapter of Muluki Ain 2020 BS abolished caste-based discrimination 42 years ago but it has failed to curb inhuman behaviour. The petitioner, Sukalal Nepali, filed the petition seeking the SC’s mandamus order to the government to promulgate a specific law on the issue. The petitioner also said that due to caste-based discrimination the lower caste people are facing problems, to the extent that they find it difficult to even get lodgings on rent in cities. “The so-called upper class people still do not want to let out lodgings to the lower caste people. There is an urgent need to promulgate a law to make such things punishable,” he added.

The petitioner said local authorities, including District Development Committees, Municipalities and Village Development Committees should have the power to monitor such behaviour if people commit such social crimes.

According to the petitioner, due to lack of legal provisions lower caste people are deprived of rights guaranteed by Articles 11(3), (4) 12, 23 and 88 of the Constitution.