Special Court Achieves 59.38% Disposal Rate in FY 2082/83

The Special Court in Kathmandu has reported a disposal rate of 59.38% in the fiscal year 2082/83, with 155 cases disposed of out of a total of 261.

According to the court’s chairman, Sudarshan Dev Bhatta, the court had set a target of disposing of 83.78% of cases in the fiscal year, but faced challenges due to the protests in Bhadra and the transfer of judges.

Chairman Bhatta stated, "The protests damaged the court building, IT department, and computer equipment, which took time to repair and affected our ability to meet our target."

In the current fiscal year, the Special Court has disposed of five cases related to illegal property acquisition, 104 cases related to irregularities in decision-making, 12 cases related to fake certificates, 32 cases related to bribery, and one case related to property laundering.

The court has jurisdiction over all 77 districts in the country and has a legal provision for seven judges. In the previous fiscal years, the court had disposed of 88% of cases in 2080/81 and 61.32% in 2081/82.

According to the court’s records, the highest number of cases disposed of in a single fiscal year was 575 in 2080/81. The court has successfully cleared all cases pending for over two years.

Chairman Bhatta informed that there are currently 106 cases pending, including two cases pending for over a year and a half, 25 cases pending for over a year, 41 cases pending for over six months, and 87 cases pending for less than six months.

The court has imposed a total of 1,187 years, eight months, and 20 days of imprisonment, and has recovered Rs 15.67 million in fines. Additionally, the court has recovered Rs 20.96 billion in revenue, with Rs 4.93 billion still pending.

The court has prioritized the reconstruction, repair, and renovation of its physical infrastructure, as well as security arrangements. Judge Hemant Rawal emphasized the need for judges to work together with courage and impartiality to deliver justice.

The court has outlined its future plans, including the implementation of a smart court system, ensuring that litigants have access to all necessary facilities, preventing cases from exceeding the statutory time limit, maintaining continuous interaction with stakeholders, and providing training to staff. The court also plans to facilitate representation of parties and witnesses from anywhere in the world.