Author/s: Arpita Nepal, Dipendra Lama and Yatindra KC
Published Date: October 2022
This working paper investigates how ethnicity shapes the use and success of rightful resistance (formal, legal challenges) against state-led land confiscation in Nepal. Drawing on an original dataset of 170 Supreme Court petitions and more than 3,500 petitioners, the study examines who resists, how they resist, and which groups are more likely to succeed. The authors find that petitions originating from areas where Indigenous nationalities make up the majority are significantly more likely to use all available legal mechanisms, including appeals and writ petitions. Indigenous petitioners also show higher chances of successful resistance, especially when acting collectively.