Nepal's former chief justice Sushila Karki took oath as interim Prime Minister on Friday and will lead the government, as Gen Z-led protests and unrest in Kathmandu resulted in multiple deaths and hundreds injured.
Nepal's president Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office of secrecy to Karki at a ceremony at Sheetal Niwas, which is the President’s Office. The government has been mandated to hold elections within six months.
The protests, initially sparked by a controversial social media ban, escalated into a broader rejection of corruption, nepotism and entrenched political elites. Soldiers remain deployed across Kathmandu after demonstrators torched government buildings, politicians’ residences and the parliament.
Also read - Nepal interim govt: Sushila Karki takes oath as PM; first woman in top post
Who is Sushila Karki?
Sushila Karki made history in July 2016 when she became Nepal’s first female chief justice. Her tenure, however, ended less than a year later after lawmakers filed an impeachment motion accusing her of “delivering biased verdicts” and interfering in executive jurisdiction. The move followed a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the government’s decision on police chief appointments, saying seniority had been unfairly bypassed.
Although automatically suspended while the probe was pending, the impeachment failed to secure the two-thirds majority required before her retirement in June 2017.
Born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Karki studied political science at Banaras Hindu University in 1975 and law at Tribhuvan University in 1978. Before becoming chief justice, she served as a Supreme Court justice, senior advocate and law professor. She is also an author on gender equality and has long been involved in human rights and women’s judicial organisations.
Karki has been recognised with awards including the Sambhav Kanoon Puraskar (2004).
Earlier, Kathmandu’s mayor Balendra Shah, popularly known as “Balen,” had also emerged as a potential choice for interim leadership. The 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician studied structural engineering in India and is known for his anti-corruption stance.
Nepal's president Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office of secrecy to Karki at a ceremony at Sheetal Niwas, which is the President’s Office. The government has been mandated to hold elections within six months.
The protests, initially sparked by a controversial social media ban, escalated into a broader rejection of corruption, nepotism and entrenched political elites. Soldiers remain deployed across Kathmandu after demonstrators torched government buildings, politicians’ residences and the parliament.
Also read - Nepal interim govt: Sushila Karki takes oath as PM; first woman in top post
Who is Sushila Karki?
Sushila Karki made history in July 2016 when she became Nepal’s first female chief justice. Her tenure, however, ended less than a year later after lawmakers filed an impeachment motion accusing her of “delivering biased verdicts” and interfering in executive jurisdiction. The move followed a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the government’s decision on police chief appointments, saying seniority had been unfairly bypassed.
Although automatically suspended while the probe was pending, the impeachment failed to secure the two-thirds majority required before her retirement in June 2017.
Born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Karki studied political science at Banaras Hindu University in 1975 and law at Tribhuvan University in 1978. Before becoming chief justice, she served as a Supreme Court justice, senior advocate and law professor. She is also an author on gender equality and has long been involved in human rights and women’s judicial organisations.
Karki has been recognised with awards including the Sambhav Kanoon Puraskar (2004).
Earlier, Kathmandu’s mayor Balendra Shah, popularly known as “Balen,” had also emerged as a potential choice for interim leadership. The 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician studied structural engineering in India and is known for his anti-corruption stance.
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