Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli claimed that he did not advance any law to recognize polygamy in the meeting of the House of Representatives on July 28. He also said that his attention has been drawn to the fact that the government is trying to advance the law on polygamy in a sensitive debate recently.

Stating that the government is a coalition of parties that have fought for women's awakening, rights, and rights, the Prime Minister said, "How did you think that the government is bringing a law to recognize polygamy?" Who started the rumour ? Sarka did not know, I did not know, where does it come from?' Along with this, the Prime Minister also promised that there will be no law recognizing polygamy under any circumstances.

How do you think the government is bringing a law to recognize polygamy? Who started the rumour ? The government doesn't know, I don't know, where does it come from? -Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Although Prime Minister Oli expressed ignorance, the government prepared a bill to amend Section 175 of the Criminal Code and discussed it in the Bill Committee of the Council of Ministers.

By amending Section 175 of the Criminal Code, 2074, a provision has been proposed that if a woman becomes pregnant or gives birth to a child through physical relations with a married man, the crime of polygamy will be punished and fined, but the marriage will remain intact.

There is a proposal in the bill to amend the provisions of the existing law that a married man or woman can have polygamy and refer to it as 'any married person'. If this amendment proposal is approved by the Cabinet and passed by the Parliament, a person who has a husband or wife at home will be punished legally if they are pregnant or have a child, but their second marriage will remain intact. 

In the new provision that the government is trying to amend the criminal code, it is said, "Despite what is written in sub-section (5) of section 175, the marriage will not be annulled just because a child has been born out of wedlock or if the woman is pregnant and has been punished for the crime of polygamy." The draft of this provision has been made public. After being publicly criticized, the government tried to avoid the discussion saying that there was no discussion on the matter.   

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ajay Kumar Chaurasia said that more studies will be conducted in the House of Representatives meeting on July 21 after being criticized everywhere for giving legal recognition to polygamy based on the birth or pregnancy of a child. Minister Chaurasia said that the proposal was made because the Maoist-led government had brought forward the provision and the Supreme Court had also given a report.

Chaurasia said in the House of Representatives meeting, "The bill of the Council of Ministers was discussed in the committee." From the discussion, it was found that there is a need for amendments and revisions in the matters of polygamy, age of marriage, advance bail, presidential pardon, etc. included in the bill, so a sub-committee has been formed under the coordination of the Law Secretary of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Office to study and submit suggestions.

The rights activists have objected that Sourkar is trying to legalize polygamy under various pretexts. They say that polygamy cannot be recognized under any circumstances.

The voices of opposition inside and outside the parliament are increasing regarding the government's move forward with the process of amending the Criminal Code to recognize polygamy. Especially women activists and civic leaders are criticizing the draft bill made by the government. MPs in both houses of the Federal Parliament are debating the issue at the center. 

Is the government bringing a law to legalize polygamy as it was discussed outside?

In the draft brought by the government, it is intended to amend Article 175 of the National Criminal Code so that if any married man becomes pregnant or gives birth to a child while having a relationship with a woman. The notification was made public while the Law Ministry was preparing the draft. After that, public interest, debate and protest started to increase. 

After the proposed bill fell into controversy, the branch under the Council of Ministers has committed to rectify the bill. UML's whip Sunita Baral says that even imagining such a law is wrong. She says, "Even if we look at the social standards, this is an anti-social issue". Even if we look at the legal recognition, it is illegal. The subject of polygamy is against the international treaties, agreements and commitments we have made.

Even if the social problem has arisen, it can be thought of in a different way, argues Baral. Even if it is argued that it is done to solve the problems seen socially in children, other ways can be found for its alternatives. But it is not possible to envisage bringing such a wrong law by adding a reference to anti-social work and it cannot be a matter that will come to the Parliament,'' she said . He says that when making a

law, a law should be made that is balanced for both men and women and that it is anti-social and illegal for any married woman or man to have a child from another relationship. What is the psychology of children born and raised in such an antisocial environment? Not only married women and men but also the innocent children born from that relationship, who have no crime, are directly affected," she said.

Mohana Ansari, a lawyer and former member of the National Human Rights Commission, says that polygamy refers to many relationships, not just one or two, and encouraging such laws will lead society to a bad direction. She says, "The word polygamy does not refer to one or two marriages but to many". It creates a commentary that whatever is done in the society will happen . This will have a negative impact on the society.' 

Ansari says that it is wrong to give birth to a child by having a relationship outside the house while being a wife and trying to recognize it. If the relationship with the wife at home is not good, there is also a rule that one can divorce and remarry. With such a law, the first wife will be the victim, while recognizing the marriage of one, the fact that the other is also a victim had to be seen . "Now, seeing the pain of one woman, if this law is brought, then this law will make thousands of women victims," she said.

Ansari is of the opinion that both women will be victimized by such a law and such a deep issue should not be taken lightly. Two marriages are never valid. It seems that such a law is not going to be brought from a judicial point of view. The law minister has said in a very light way that we cannot even imagine in the society. Both women suffer from this, patriarchal thinking dominates men more," she said.

Similarly, senior advocate Meera Dhungana also says that such laws will encourage her to have a relationship with another person after fulfilling her wishes. "After he was satisfied with the first woman or if he was not satisfied, he had a relationship with the second woman and had a child. Now what do we understand it as?" After being in a relationship intentionally, you cannot be called a victim . If someone fakes a relationship and has a child, then there is a provision for the victim woman to file a lawsuit.' 

Dhungana says that the law is trying to send a message to the society that men or women can do whatever they want to fulfill their desires.

is a game where women fight or make victims. Society needs to be organized . If he wants to get married or have a relationship, he can get the right to get a divorce from his previous wife, if he wants,' she said.

Advocate and High Court Bar Association, Pokhara Joint Secretary Ishwari Paudel says that this type of law will lead to violence and crime in the society. She says, "This is unimaginable".