Sushila Karki To Assume Interim Prime Minister Role In Nepal After Protests

Sushila Karki is set to take the oath as interim Prime Minister of Nepal following the resignation of KP Sharma Oli's government amid protests. This decision follows negotiations between protest leaders, the Nepalese Army, and President Ram Chandra Poudel.

Sushila Karki, former Chief Justice of Nepal, will take oath as the country's interim Prime Minister at 8:45 PM today, according to sources. The announcement marks a major breakthrough after days of intense Gen Z-led protests that resulted in the fall of KP Sharma Oli's government.

The decision to appoint Karki, 73, as head of the interim government was reached after marathon negotiations between protest leaders, Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and President Ram Chandra Poudel. Protesters' core demands-dissolving Parliament and naming Karki as interim Prime Minister-were formally accepted. With this, Karki will become Nepal's first-ever woman Prime Minister.

Preparations for the swearing-in

The President is expected to issue a decision on dissolving Parliament soon. In the meantime, the heads of all security forces have been summoned, along with the Speaker of Parliament and the Chairperson of the National Assembly, who will also attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Who is Sushila Karki?

Karki began her legal career in 1979 as an advocate in Biratnagar, steadily rising to prominence. She was appointed as a Supreme Court justice in 2009 and, in 2016, made history by becoming Nepal's first female Chief Justice. Her appointment coincided with a landmark moment when women simultaneously held the country's three highest offices-President, Speaker of Parliament, and Chief Justice.

Known for her tough stance against corruption, Karki earned national recognition after ordering the conviction and imprisonment of sitting minister Jaya Prakash Gupta on corruption charges.

Academically, she completed her Master's degree in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in 1975, followed by a Bachelor's degree in Law from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 1978. She once reflected fondly on her days at Tribhuvan, where alongside law she pursued her passion for dance, before committing fully to her legal career.

In 2017, she faced an impeachment motion filed by the ruling coalition, accusing her of bias and overstepping her authority in matters such as the appointment of a police chief. Despite these political challenges, she maintained her reputation as an independent, reform-driven judge.