Om Prakash Aryal

Om Prakash Aryal is a Nepali lawyer and senior advocate known for his public interest litigations.^[1][2] He has also served as a legal advisor to Kathmandu Metropolitan City.^[3] Aryal was appointed Minister for Home Affairs in the interim government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki in 2025.^[4]

Honourable Om Prakash Aryal
ओम प्रकाश आर्यल
Minister of Home Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 September 2025
President	Ram Chandra Poudel
Prime Minister	Sushila Karki
Preceded by	Ramesh Lekhak
Personal details
Born	(1976-01-01) January 1, 1976 (age 49) Amarpur village, Gulmi District, Kingdom of Nepal
Citizenship	Nepali
Nationality	Nepalease
Children	Kul Chandra Gautam
Profession	Advocate Politician

Early life and education

Om Prakash Aryal was born around 1976 in Amarpur village, Gulmi District, western Nepal. Aryal grew up in a modest family. His grandfather was a junior judicial officia. His father was a retired Indian Army soldier. Aryal attended a local public school, which often lacked resources. At the time, Nepal was under a monarchy with the Panchayat system, limiting freedoms. In 1995, Aryal moved to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital, aiming to study music at Ratna Rajya Campus. Music was his first passion however, he failed the English test for admission, Next to the music campus was Nepal Law Campus, part of Tribhuvan University. Aryal enrolled there to study law. Tribhuvan University, Nepal's oldest and largest, offers degrees in many fields. Aryal earned his law degree, learning about the constitution, crimes, and rights, and how courts function.^[5]

Career

Supreme Court of Nepal

After graduating, Aryal became a Supreme Court advocate, allowing him to argue in Nepal's highest court. His early work included risky cases during the Maoist insurgency (1996–2006), when rebels fought the government, and many people disappeared. Aryal filed habeas corpus petitions, court orders ensuring lawful detention. He also challenged state benefits for former rulers in areas like Bajhang and Mustang. Though the court rejected these, his bold approach stood out. During Popular Movement-II in 2006, he worked at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), monitoring rights abuses and witnessing government brutality, including by official Lokman Singh Karki.^[1]

Notable Cases

Aryal is known for landmark cases. One major case was against Lokman Singh Karki's 2013 appointment to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which fights corruption. Aryal argued Karki lacked moral integrity, citing past reports. After years, the Supreme Court suspended Karki in 2016, leading to his impeachment.^[6] Another case was the Giribandhu Tea Estate land dispute, where Aryal sought contempt action in 2025 for non-compliance with court orders. He also opposed a Chief Justice-led government in 2013.