Kathmandu — The Supreme Court of Nepal has suffered extensive damage after being targeted during recent protests. The blaze destroyed more than 60,000 case files, forcing the Court to suspend all hearings until further notice.
Chief Registrar Bimal Paudel issued a statement on Wednesday announcing that all scheduled hearings have been halted. He said files, servers, and courtrooms were damaged, making it impossible to proceed with judicial functions.
Court spokesperson Arjun Prasad Koirala said some files are still burning and appealed to the public to help protect important documents that remain intact inside the annex building. According to him, the annex houses crucial archives, including already-decided cases and historic records.
As the fire has not yet been fully brought under control, court staff are working to salvage unburned files and equipment. Officials have requested tarpaulins to safely store the remaining materials and appealed for public support.
Legal experts warn that the destruction at the Supreme Court will have a long-term impact on Nepal’s justice system. With the loss of archives and the information technology division’s records, they caution that case management and judicial proceedings will face serious challenges in the future.
