New legal provision via ordinance to declare persons missing in disasters as dead

The government has introduced a new provision to legally declare persons who went missing in disasters as dead. For this, the government has issued the 'Ordinance to Amend Certain Nepal Acts Relating to Disasters, 2083', amending the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074 and the National Identity Card and Registration Act, 2074.

The procedure has been introduced to legally declare dead the citizens who went missing in the flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa. The new provision is being seen as a 'fast track' law for declaring missing persons dead.

Under the new provision, relatives of persons who went missing in the flood will need to make a self-declaration and apply for a death certificate. Prescribed procedures must be completed for this.