The court, reports the Associated Press, also directed that laws construed as discriminatory against gays be changed. It is not known whether current law was immediately affected by this ruling, nor if it was a direct affirmation of marriage rights for same-sex couples.

"The government of Nepal," says the ruling, "should formulate new laws and amend existing laws in order to safeguard the rights of these people. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex are natural persons irrespective of their masculine and feminine gender and they have the right to exercise their rights and live an independent life in society."

Sunil Pant, of Nepalese gay rights group The Blue Diamond Society, calls the ruling a bold decision made in a country where gays are routinely harassed.

"It was an extremely positive decision and a pleasant surprise for us," says Pant. "It would set a precedent for other conservative countries like Nepal."

How the government will act on this ruling is uncertain, given that it is led in part by former Maoist rebels, often held responsible for harassment of LGBT citizens in the general populace. Harassment was also commonplace in the days of King Gyanendra's rule, before he relented and a secular, elected government took hold. Notably, Nepal recently legally recognized a transgender citizen (Chanda Rani, pictured) for the first time.

While the elected government shows progress for Nepal's LGBT citizens, Maoists have taken it upon themselves to rid the country of what they call "social pollutants," including homosexuality, which they consider "products of capitalism." Recent incidents include the imprisonment and dismissal of two soldiers accused of being a lesbian couple, and police harassment of five transgender youth, suspected of the "crime" of carrying condoms.

Such incidents differ from a January 2007 statement by Maoist parliament member Hisila Yami that the party had adopted a policy to neither encourage, nor punish, homosexuality.