At 28 years old and educated only to the age of 16, Anil Chetri is a judge in a Maoist people's court.
Since he opened his court three months ago in a house seized from a 'class enemy', 471 cases have been registered in the school book he uses for a ledger.
'Most of the cases are about land, polygamy and bad debts,' he said.
After 10 years of civil war, there is a ceasefire and Nepal's powerful Maoist rebels are involved in peace talks with the government. Yet, despite complaints from the government and criticism from human rights groups, they have simultaneously expanded their court system across the country.
Last week, in a room crowded with peasant litigants awaiting their own turn, judge Anil heard the case of a man who had married four wives in search of a son. He refused to support one wife and daughter.
The judge consulted everyone present. 'This is the modern age,' said a woman onlooker to general agreement. 'You shouldn't discriminate between sons and daughters these days.'
