Nepal has formally registered the first same-sex marriage in the country, making it the first South Asian nation to do so.
Maya Gurung, a 35-year-old trans-woman, and Surendra Pandey, a 27-year-old gay man, got married and had their marriage registered at Dordi Rural Municipality in Lamjung district, Western Nepal.
Nepal's Supreme Court had allowed same-sex marriage back in 2007.
The 2015 Constitution of Nepal also explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
On June 27, 2023, the Supreme Court issued an interim order legalizing same-sex marriage in Nepal in response to a writ petition filed by Gurung and others.
Despite the Supreme Court's order, the Kathmandu District Court rejected the first application for same-sex marriage registration four months ago, citing a lack of necessary laws.
Surendra Pandey and Maya's marriage application was among those rejected.
Surendra, a resident of Nawalparasi district, and Maya, a resident of Lamjung district, have been living together as husband and wife for the past six years. They got married in a traditional ceremony with the approval of their families.
