Domestic Violence Law in Nepal 2082/83 (2026)

NPR 3,000-25,000 fine and/or up to 6 months imprisonment under Section 12, with double for repeat offenders and an additional 10% for offenders holding a public post.

90 days from the commission of the offence under the Domestic Violence Act 2066. The NWC's 24/7 GBV helpline is 1145.

The Domestic Violence (Offence and Punishment) Act 2066 (2009) and its Domestic Violence Rules 2067 are the primary framework. They are supplemented by the Muluki Civil Code 2074 (divorce, maintenance and separation), the National Penal Code 2074 (broader assault and sexual offences where the conduct overlaps), and Article 38 of the Constitution on women's rights. So a domestic-violence matter typically draws on the DV Act for protection orders and the Penal Code for serious physical harm.

Section 2 defines domestic violence as physical, mental, sexual or economic harm — including reprimand and emotional harm — by a person in a family relationship. Family relationship covers spouses, parents, children, siblings, relatives and dependents living together. So the Act is not limited to spousal violence and not limited to physical injury — economic deprivation, mental abuse and reprimand within the family circle are all within its scope, which makes the framework broader than people often realise.

Any person with knowledge of the offence, not just the victim, may file a complaint under Section 4 — written or oral — with the Police Office, the National Women Commission or the Local Body. This is a deliberate design feature: a third party (a neighbour, a teacher, a relative) can initiate the protection where the victim is unable to do so directly. The complainant's identity is treated confidentially within the process.

No. Section 4 of the 2066 Act names three forums — the Police Office, the National Women Commission, and the Local Body (ward/municipality) — and the CDO is not among them. This is a common misconception, sometimes carried over from other Nepali statutes where the CDO does sit as a Complaint Hearing Authority (such as under the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act 2071). For domestic violence, complaints go to one of the three Section 4 forums, not the CDO.

The Local Body (ward / municipality) is one of the three Section 4 filing forums. Where it receives a complaint, it must produce the perpetrator within 24 hours (excluding travel time) or refer the matter to the police. Sections 5 and 6 contemplate that the local body first attempts reconciliation between the parties; where reconciliation fails, the application moves to the District Court, which may issue an Interim Protection Order pending preliminary investigation.

Under Sections 5-6 of the 2066 Act, the District Court can issue an Interim Protection Order during the preliminary investigation, which can require separate residence between the parties, maintenance arrangements, no-contact, and other protective measures. The Order operates while the case is being investigated. Disobedience of an Interim Protection Order attracts a fine of NPR 2,000 to 15,000 and/or up to four months imprisonment, which gives the Order real consequence for breach.

The standard penalty under Section 12 is a fine of NPR 3,000 to 25,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months. Half-penalty applies to attempt and abetment. Repeat offenders face double penalty, and an additional 10% applies where the offender holds a public post. The Court may also order compensation to the victim based on the nature of the offence, the severity, the pain suffered and the economic position of the parties. The statute of limitations is 90 days.

Yes. The District Court can order the perpetrator to pay compensation to the victim, taking into account the nature and severity of the offence, the pain suffered, and the economic position of the parties. The compensation order sits alongside the Section 12 penalty (fine and/or imprisonment) and the Interim Protection Order. Where the violence has caused medical expenses or other documented loss, those are part of the compensation calculation in addition to non-economic harm such as pain and suffering.

1145 — the "Khabar Garau" GBV helpline — is the 24/7, toll-free hotline operated by the National Women Commission (NWC). It supports victims of gender-based violence including domestic violence, with referrals to legal, medical and shelter services. The helpline is run by NWC, not by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC). The Police general helpline is 100, and 1098 is the child helpline (National Child Rights Council).

Section 11 of the 2066 Act allows the Government to establish Service Centres that provide shelter, legal aid, psycho-social counselling and economic aid, financed through the Service Fund. NWC's reporting flow at nwchelpline.gov.np connects victims to the available services. Provincial-level women and children offices and various NGO-run shelters also operate. Confirm what is locally available with the NWC or the local body when filing the complaint.

Where the violence also constitutes a Penal Code offence — assault, grievous hurt, rape or other sexual offence — the National Penal Code 2074 applies with significantly heavier penalties, typically multi-year imprisonment, and proceeds as a state case. The DV Act 2066 and the Penal Code are not mutually exclusive; a complainant can pursue both. For serious physical or sexual violence, the Penal Code is usually the primary route, with the DV Act handling the protection-order side.

Domestic violence is one of the grounds for divorce under the Muluki Civil Code 2074, alongside cruelty and other grounds. So a DV Act complaint can run alongside or feed into a divorce filing, especially where the violence is part of an ongoing breakdown of the marriage. A lawyer typically structures the two together — the DV Act for protection and penalty, the Civil Code divorce for the matrimonial outcome and the partition/property arrangements that follow.

Yes. The Act's protective scope is the family relationship and the categories of harm, not the gender of the victim. A male victim of domestic violence by a spouse, family member or dependent can file a complaint under Section 4 in the same way as a female victim, and the protective measures and penalties apply equally. In practice most reported DV cases involve female victims, but the Act itself is not gender-restricted in its protective provisions.

A complaint under the DV Act 2066 must be filed within 90 days of the commission of the offence. Where the violence is continuing — repeated episodes over a period — the date from which 90 days runs is a matter the lawyer assesses on the facts. Because the limitation is short, victims and their supporters should act quickly to file with one of the three Section 4 forums. Out-of-time complaints can lose the DV-Act remedies even where the Penal Code 2074 route remains open.

Yes. Section 4 allows any person with knowledge of the offence to file the complaint — written or oral — with the Police, the National Women Commission or the Local Body. So a neighbour, teacher, doctor or family member who knows about the violence can initiate the protection where the victim is unable to do so. The complainant's identity is handled confidentially through the process, and the victim retains agency in how the matter proceeds afterwards.

The National Women Commission (NWC) is the constitutional body that monitors gender-based violence in Nepal, established under the Constitution and acting through its own Act. Under Section 4 of the DV Act, it is one of the three statutory forums where a complaint can be filed, and it operates the 24/7 GBV helpline 1145. NWC also supports victims through referral to services, legal aid and shelter, and acts as a national monitor of how the DV framework is working in practice.

Immediately. Domestic-violence cases turn on the 90-day limitation, on the choice of forum (Police vs NWC vs local body), on whether to bring a Penal Code 2074 case alongside the DV Act, on the Interim Protection Order, and on the relationship between the violence and any divorce or partition matter. A lawyer guides the route, prepares the complaint and the Interim Protection Order application, and represents the victim through the District Court. Confidentiality is treated with care throughout.