KATHMANDU: Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Sunita Dangol, is currently on an official visit to Europe, where she reached the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg to exchange experiences related to local-level dispute resolution mechanisms.
During her visit, Dangol shared how Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has adopted fast, fair, and accessible systems to resolve disputes at the local level. She emphasized Nepal’s evolving judicial practices at the municipal level, particularly highlighting the role of the judicial committee led by the deputy chief.
“I shared my experience on how we have assimilated a judicial system that ensures easy access to justice for all—anchored in fairness, impartiality, and equality,” said Dangol. “We also had discussions about how the CJEU handles cases—its registration process, decision-making timeline, and courtroom procedures.”
Dangol was invited to Belgium by the European Union to participate in an exchange of good governance practices. As part of this visit, she interacted with judges, registrars, and university students at the EU’s top court in Luxembourg.
She informed the court about Nepal’s local dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and regular judicial committee sessions.
“One aspect that intrigued them was the role of a politically elected representative—such as a deputy mayor—leading the judicial committee. They asked whether political bias becomes a challenge in this setting,” Dangol said. “I explained that although there were concerns at first, they’ve been decreasing as the system matures.”
She also pointed out how simplifying the justice process and bringing it closer to the people helps foster trust and efficiency. “When people feel that they can get justice by simply approaching their local judicial committee, it contributes to a faster and more responsive justice system.”
Comment