Kathmandu, Aug 5: A proposal to amend the law on polygamy has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers, rights activists, and the public. The amendment, introduced by the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, suggests that a second marriage could be recognized if a married man’s relationship with another woman results in pregnancy or childbirth.
The proposal triggered strong protests both inside Parliament and on the streets. Amid the uproar, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak called a meeting of the Legislation Management Committee, promising a revision if the draft is found unclear.
Though the draft retains the clause under Section 175 of the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017 that prohibits polygamy, it also includes language that opponents say indirectly legitimizes it. The draft proposes changing the current provision—”a married man cannot remarry”—to a gender-neutral form, banning both married men and women from marrying someone else.
What has angered many is a clause stating that if a woman is pregnant or a child is born from such a relationship, the second marriage cannot be voided on polygamy grounds. This, critics say, amounts to a legal loophole that could embolden extramarital relationships and harm women’s legal protections.
Ruling party whip Sunita Baral and lawmakers from across party lines condemned the draft in Monday’s House of Representatives session. Baral questioned how such a proposal made it into the legal process and called on the government to clarify its role. Lawmakers from the Maoist Centre, Nepali Congress, and other parties echoed her concerns.
Outside Parliament, the issue has stirred a wave of protests. On Friday, Binu Yadav began an indefinite hunger strike at Maitighar Mandala, calling for the withdrawal of the provision. Yadav, who has long fought legal battles for victims of marital violence, warned that the amendment would push women seeking justice into deeper distress.
Women’s rights activists argue the draft contradicts both the National Penal Code and Civil Code, which clearly prohibit polygamy. They say recognizing a second relationship as marriage based on pregnancy opens the door to exploitation and strips women of protection under the law.
While Law Minister Ajay Chaurasiya has denied the government intends to legalize polygamy, criticism has only intensified. Social media is flooded with comments accusing the government of trying to roll back legal safeguards for women.
The controversy has forced the government onto the defensive, with mounting pressure from lawmakers and activists demanding the draft be scrapped or rewritten. At the heart of the protest is a single message: the law must protect women, not weaken their rights under the guise of neutrality. ( People’s News Monitoring Service)
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