The government has allocated only 0.45 percent of the total national budget to the judiciary for the upcoming fiscal year, despite repeated demands from the sector for at least one percent of the federal budget.

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, presenting the budget for fiscal year 2026-27 in Parliament on Friday, allocated Rs9.4916 billion for the judiciary. The amount represents just 0.45 percent of the federal government’s total budget.

The judiciary had consistently called for a higher allocation, arguing that greater resources are needed to strengthen judicial efficiency, infrastructure and access to justice. However, as in previous years, the allocation has fallen short of that demand.

During consultations with the courts, the government had initially proposed a ceiling of Rs9.34 billion. The final budget increased that amount by Rs150 million.

Bimal Paudel, chief registrar of the Supreme Court, said the judiciary had sought one percent of the national budget but did not receive the requested allocation. However, he said the additional amount added to the original ceiling would still allow the judiciary to continue reforms aimed at improving judicial administration, including the expansion of digital court systems.

The budget also reiterates the government’s long-standing commitment to conclude the transitional justice process related to Nepal’s decade-long Maoist insurgency.

The budget statement says the remaining tasks of the peace process and transitional justice will be concluded “as soon as possible” through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.

The commitment, however, has been repeated by successive governments for the past 19 years with no resolution achieved. The government recently removed office bearers of both commissions through an ordinance, and both bodies are currently functioning largely under administrative staff.

The budget further states that the government will draft a law on conflict of interest as part of efforts to strengthen good governance and curb policy-level corruption.

To improve management of assets obtained through criminal activities, the government said related agencies would be connected through an integrated information system to strengthen recovery, confiscation and asset management processes.

The budget also proposes introducing digital time cards in government offices and strengthening public service systems linked to the national identity card, including land revenue, transport, passports, personal event registration and social security management.

In the judicial sector, the government announced plans to expand the electronic court management system through maximum use of information technology to make the justice system faster and more effective.

The budget also includes provisions for free legal aid programmes targeting citizens from poor and remote communities.

Minister Wagle assured through the budget that the “Hello Sarkar”, a public grievance redressal hotline mechanism established in 2011, would be further developed as an effective platform for communication between citizens and the state.