Nepal lesbian couple Anju Devi Shrestha Supritha Gurung becomes first woman to register marriage

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Nepal created history on Sunday after it officially registered the marriage of a lesbian couple, Anju Devi Shrestha, surnamed Deepti, and Supritha Gurung, news agency PTI reported.

Deepti, resident of Bardiya district of western Nepal and Suprata, resident of Syangja district. , both are 33 years old , According to PTI report, Jamuna Rural Municipality of Bardiya district registered their marriage on Sunday.

Quoting gay activist and former member of Parliament Sunil Babu Panta, the report said the marriage certificate was handed over to the couple by ward secretary Deepak Nepal.

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Pant also claimed that Deepti and Supritha marriage registration is probably the first case of its kind in South Asia. The Himalayan nation was also the first country in the region to formally register same-sex marriage.

Mayako Pehchan Nepal, a non-governmental organization meaning “recognition of love”, expressed its joy at the official registration of same-sex marriage.

In a statement, the NGO said: “Nepali LGBT communities have launched a campaign for identity-based rights of sexual minority communities since 2001 and this campaign has resulted in officially registering same-sex marriage after more than two decades of struggle. Has been successful.” ,

The NGO’s general secretary Surendra Pandey said the first same-sex wedding was formally made public and the occasion celebrated at a press conference on Monday, PTI reported.

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Last year on November 29, 35 year old Maya Gurung and 27 year old Surendra Pandey , both male at birth , had their marriage officially registered as the first same-sex couple in Lamjung District.

Nepal’s Supreme Court allowed same-sex marriage in 2007, and this stance was further strengthened by the 2015 constitution, which explicitly prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation.

On June 27 last year, the country’s top court had issued an interim order on writ petitions filed by individuals including Gurung to officially legalize gay marriage in the country.