High Court Upholds Imprisonment Sentence for Ward Chairperson

April 21, Pokhara – The High Court in Pokhara has upheld the prison sentence previously handed down by the Kaski District Court against Bharat Bahadur Adhikari, the ward chairperson of Ward No. 24 in Pokhara Metropolitan City, on charges of caste-based discrimination. Ward member Maiya Nepali had filed the case on January 19, 2023, accusing Chairperson Adhikari of caste discrimination and mistreatment.

The bench of Judge Avani Mainali Bhattarai at the District Court convicted Adhikari on December 21, 2023, sentencing him to four months in prison and ordering him to pay NPR 10,000 in compensation to the complainant. Adhikari had appealed this verdict to the High Court.

Subsequently, the High Court, led by Judges Anju Upreti Dhakal and Merina Shrestha, confirmed the district court’s verdict. Under the Caste-Based Discrimination and Untouchability Act, 2011 (2068), offenders face imprisonment of up to three months and fines of up to NPR 50,000. For individuals holding public office, penalties may increase by 50 percent. Accordingly, Adhikari was sentenced to four and a half months of imprisonment, fined NPR 75,000, and ordered to pay NPR 10,000 in compensation to the complainant.

The controversy arose after Chairperson Adhikari diverted budget funds designated for the Dalit community for other purposes, which Nepali protested. Following this, she faced caste-based verbal abuse and derogatory language from Adhikari. After Nepali filed a police complaint seeking justice, Adhikari was arrested and held for 15 days during police investigation before the case was brought to the district court. He was released on NPR 150,000 bail by the bail bench.

Ward member Nepali expressed that although delayed, justice has been served. She stated, “The mistreatment stemmed from my being Dalit and was an insult to the entire community. The court’s ruling has provided relief. I feared what others might do if I remained silent. This is the experience I and my community have endured for years without significant change. Now, I have raised my voice, refusing to remain silent any longer.”