In recent days, Nepal has seen intense public and media debate over proposed legal amendments related to polygamy. Lawmakers in Parliament have raised serious concerns regarding the government’s move to amend Section 175 of the Criminal Code Act, 2075 (enforced since Bhadra 1, 2075), which currently prohibits polygamy. The proposed amendment would allow recognition of polygamy under certain conditions—specifically, if a child has already been born from the relationship or if the woman is pregnant, the marriage would not be annulled.

This proposal has drawn strong criticism from lawmakers and sociologists alike. According to them, such provisions would indirectly legitimize polygamy and could lead to increased violence against women and social discord.

Similarly, Section 173 related to child marriage is also set to be revised. Under the proposed changes, only marriages involving individuals under 16 would be automatically void. In other cases, the marriage could be considered valid if certain conditions are met.

The draft amendment also includes a provision to increase the legal limit for abortion from 25 weeks to 28 weeks, allowing women to seek abortion in emergency situations.

The government’s proposal to amend Section 175 of the Criminal Code Act, which was enacted on Bhadra 1, 2075, seeks to grant recognition to polygamy in certain situations. If a child has been born or the woman is pregnant, the marriage would not be annulled.

This move has faced strong opposition from lawmakers and sociologists, who argue that it would indirectly legitimize polygamy and pose risks of increased violence and social breakdown.

Similarly, the amendment to Section 173 on child marriage proposes that only marriages involving individuals under 16 be automatically void, while others may be deemed valid under specific conditions.

Additionally, the amendment proposes increasing the legal abortion limit from 25 to 28 weeks and allows women to undergo abortion in emergency circumstances.