Sushila Karki, Nepal’s First Female Chief Justice, to be Sworn in as Interim PM Shorty Amid Political Turmoil

Nepal’s political crisis took a dramatic turn on Friday as former Chief Justice Sushila Karki is set to be sworn in as the nation’s interim Prime Minister. Sources confirmed that the ceremony will take place at 8:45 pm at Sheetal Niwas, the presidential residence. The decision follows intense negotiations between President Ramchandra Paudel, Karki, and representatives of the Gen-Z protest movement, which has been demanding sweeping political reforms after a week of deadly unrest.

Immediately following her appointment, Karki will undertake the task of forming and leading an interim Council of Ministers. Preparations for the transition are already in full swing at Sheetal Niwas, where Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal is overseeing the drafting of the appointment letter and arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony and the new cabinet’s first meeting. While the initial cabinet is expected to be small, the names of its members are being closely guarded, sources said.

The path to this resolution involved a significant constitutional maneuver. As part of the agreement, Nepal’s Parliament will be dissolved. Karki will first be nominated to the upper house before formally assuming the premiership, a workaround designed to adhere to the 2015 Constitution. Earlier in the day, it appeared the deal had hit a roadblock, but a breakthrough was achieved after President Paudel engaged in back-to-back discussions with youth leaders who have been at the forefront of the recent protests.

The unrest, which is the worst Nepal has seen in years, was initially sparked by a controversial social media ban that was later rescinded. The protests quickly escalated into violent clashes across the country, resulting in at least 51 deaths and over 1,300 injuries. Tensions began to subside only after the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Sushila Karki, 73, holds a distinguished place in Nepal’s history as its first and only female chief justice. She is widely respected for her integrity and her firm stance against corruption. Her appointment is being seen as a crucial step toward restoring stability after days of chaos. However, her interim government will face immediate and significant challenges, including assuaging public anger, managing political demands from various factions, and navigating mounting international scrutiny as Nepal attempts to steer itself out of the crisis.