Nepal Supreme Court starts work from tents after destruction from GenZ protests

Nepal's Supreme Court reopened on Sunday, September 14, under temporary tents set up in its courtyard, following the large-scale destruction during last week's Gen-Z led protests.

The Court's staff members met petitioners under white tents marked as "Supreme Court Nepal," issuing fresh hearing dates while advising litigants to avoid the damaged court buildings due to the risk of collapse, as per News18.

Piles of burnt motorcycles and vehicles still lie scattered across the complex, remining the unrest that began on September 8 that forced the resignation of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The violence, triggered by protests against corruption and social media ban, left the justice system paralysed with destruction of the court's records and case files.

At lease 26,000 ongoing case files and more than 36,000 archived records were destroyed in the fire, according to senior advocate Purna Man Sakya, as per News18. He stated that vital parts of Nepal's judicial history have been "lost forever".

Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut condemned the arson, expressing sorrow over the destruction but pledging continuity. "We remain steadfast on the path of justice under all circumstances," he said in a statement, adding that hearings would resume as early as possible.

The long task ahead - rebuilding justice 

Newly appointed PM Shushila Karki acknowledged the obliteration of judicial records. "All records and judicial files were destroyed in the arson and they have to start rebuilding everything everything from scratch," Karki said in her first public address after taking charge of the interim government, as per News18.

To ensure urgent that matters continue, the Nepal Bar Association has agreed that habeas corpus petitions will be heard in a surviving annex building, as per The Hindustan Times.

By the afternoon on Sunday, September 14, at least 148 litigants had checked in with court staff to receive new instructions. Lawyers have also pledged to assist in reconstructing the files by submitting photocopies of their case documents.

Also, PM Karki has begun expanding her interim cabinet by appointing Rameshore Khanal as new finance minister, Om Prakash Aryal as home minister and Kulman Ghising as finance minister.