The Lumbini Provincial Assembly has unanimously passed the Bill, 2026, on the Protection and Promotion of the Customary Traditions of the Tharu Community.
As Lumbini Province is home to a significant Tharu population, the passage of the bill has established a legal framework for the protection of their customary culture and traditions. During the 18th meeting of the eighth session of the Provincial Assembly held on July 8, Minister for Social Development Janmajaya Timilsina presented the proposal seeking the Assembly’s approval of the bill. Speaker Tularam Ghartimagar then put the proposal to a decision and announced that the bill had been passed unanimously.
The bill was introduced with the objective of establishing the necessary legal provisions for the identification, documentation, protection, promotion, and intergenerational transmission of the Tharu community’s indigenous traditions. These include the traditional Kabila Gan structure, organizations, customs, cultural practices, heritage, and institutions such as Matawa, Barghar, and Bhalmansa. The passed bill will immediately come into effect as the Tharu Community Customary Traditions Protection and Promotion Act, 2026. The Act will be implemented in areas of Lumbini Province where the Tharu community resides.