Sushila Karki to become Nepal’s interim Prime Minister, first woman to lead country
Capping days of uncertainty, the Office of the President of Nepal on Thursday announced that former Chief Justice Sushila Karki will serve as the country’s interim prime minister. She will be sworn in at 9 p.m., media reports said.
The decision followed a rare consensus between Gen-Z protesters, President Ram Chandra Paudel, and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, NDTV reported, quoting sources.
Karki, who made history in 2016 as Nepal’s first female Chief Justice, will now create another milestone as the country’s first female Prime Minister.
According to officials, the caretaker government will be small in size, with the first cabinet meeting scheduled for Friday night.
The cabinet is expected to recommend the dissolution of the federal parliament as well as all seven provincial assemblies, paving the way for fresh elections.
The breakthrough comes after three days of nationwide protests, largely led by young demonstrators angered by corruption and a government ban on several social media platforms. By Wednesday, Karki’s name had gained traction among the protesters as a consensus candidate to lead a transitional administration.
Who is Sushila Karki?
Sushila Karki, 71, made history as Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice. Known for her zero-tolerance stance on corruption, she is widely respected in legal and civil society circles.
She completed her BA at Mahendra Morang Campus and an MA in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University before earning a law degree at Tribhuvan University.
Initially a lecturer, she shifted to a career in law, rising to become a senior advocate before her appointment as Chief Justice in July 2016.
During her tenure, she presided over high-profile anti-corruption cases, including the conviction of former Information Minister Jaiprakash Prasad Gupta and a landmark ruling against Lokman Singh Karki, the former chief of the CIAA.
In 2017, she faced an impeachment motion brought by the Maoist-led government, widely viewed as politically motivated. The attempt was withdrawn after intense public backlash.
A voice for the movement
Karki has recently spoken out in support of the protests, calling Nepal’s current leadership outdated and out of touch.
“This government should step down... These leaders are out of date. They have no vision, no education. Maybe they have certificates, but they do not seem educated,” she told NDTV in an interview.
She condemned the killings of demonstrators during the unrest.
“I am supporting this movement from today. Not yesterday, but today. Because these people killed our children. See, 19 people are dead. What is the condition of their mothers and fathers?” she said.
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