KATHMANDU, Dec 31: The Ministry of Finance has allocated an additional Rs290 million to the Supreme Court (SC) for vehicle procurement, office management and related purposes.
The additional budget has been provided to address damages suffered by the SC during the Gen Z–led protests in early September, when the court sustained significant physical damage. The funds will be used for office management, the purchase of new vehicles and the repair of damaged ones.
Following approval of the budget source by the ministry, the SC has already invited tenders to procure three seven-seater SUVs and 82 motorcycles.
The Ministry of Finance said the funds will also be used for purchasing furniture and managing office operations. The court had requested an additional budget to replace vehicles that were partially damaged during the protests and could no longer be operated, as well as to repair others.
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During the Gen Z protests, the main building of the SC was completely gutted by fire. A total of 43 four-wheel vehicles were destroyed, while 150 motorcycles and scooters were damaged, according to official data. The total physical damage at the SC alone has been estimated at Rs1.21 billion.
In the current Fiscal Year (FY), a total budget of Rs 10 billion has been allocated for courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, of which Rs 4 billion falls under the capital expenditure heading.
Although the government has adopted a policy of fiscal restraint, the Ministry of Finance said additional resources were ensured for the SC considering security sensitivity and the special needs of the judiciary.
“Due to pressure on available resources, additional budgets are being provided only to essential institutions. Security agencies and the judicial sector have been given priority. The decision to allocate extra funds was taken in view of disruptions to judicial work and growing security challenges,” a senior ministry official said.
After the protests, the SC had been operating court benches from temporary tents within its premises. As the Judicial Council building suffered comparatively less damage, it is currently being used for judges’ chambers and courtrooms, while administrative work is also being conducted from the same building.
Construction of the new SC building has been ongoing since 2021. The project, estimated to cost Rs5.2 billion, is about 76 percent complete and is expected to take at least another six months to finish.
A committee led by the secretary of the National Planning Commission has prepared a report estimating total physical damage worth Rs84.45 billion nationwide during the Gen Z movement.
