Nepal gets its first woman PM as ex-Chief Justice Sushila Karki takes oath

Nepal's former Chief Justice Sushila Karki on Friday (September 13) took oath as the country's interim prime minister, three days after KP Sharma Oli resigned amid massive protests in the country.

The swearing-in at Nepal’s Rashtrapati Bhawan ended days of speculation and closed-door negotiations, ushering in the country’s first woman prime minister.

President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office to Karki.

The announcement from the President’s Office came after a consensus was reached between President Ram Chandra Paudel, Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and representatives of the Generation Z protest movement that forced Oli’s resignation earlier in the week.

Karki, who earlier made history as Nepal’s first woman chief justice, now faces the daunting task of steering the country through a turbulent political transition.

The Parliament of Nepal has already been dissolved. According to local media reports, the decision was taken following an agreement among major political parties and representatives of the Gen Z protest movement.

India welcomes formation of interim govt

President Ramchandra Paudel said the new caretaker government led by interim Prime Minister Karki is mandated to hold fresh parliamentary elections within six months.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new prime minister was attended by Nepal's chief justice, senior government officials, security chiefs, and members of the diplomatic community.

In New Delhi, India welcomed the formation of the new Interim government in Nepal.

"We are hopeful that this would help in fostering peace and stability," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"As a close neighbour, a fellow democracy and a long term development partner, India will continue to work closely with Nepal for the well-being and prosperity of our two peoples and countries," it said.

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First woman PM of Nepal

The 73-year-old Karki has become the first woman to serve as the prime minister of Nepal.

Karki made history as Nepal’s first female Chief Justice, serving from July 2016 to June 2017. Known for her zero-tolerance stance on corruption, she was first appointed as an ad-hoc Supreme Court judge in January 2009 and became a permanent judge the following year.

Karki studied in Banaras Hindu University.

In April 2017, her tenure faced turbulence when she was temporarily suspended after lawmakers from the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) filed an impeachment motion, accusing her of bias in a verdict that led to the removal of the country’s powerful anti-corruption chief on eligibility grounds.

Nepal's parliament was dissolved amid widespread Gen Z protests against corruption and political instability, following the Prime Minister's forced resignation a few days prior, reported ANI. This dissolution, while a key demand of the protesters, has sparked debate as some political parties call for a constitutional resolution and civil society urges adherence to legal procedures for the dissolution of Parliament. Gen Z leaders who spearheaded the anti-government protests in Nepal had demanded that the Parliament must be dissolved and the Constitution should be amended to reflect the will of the people.

Also Read: Nepal crisis: What’s next after Oli? India–China stakes explained

Joint statement by Speaker and Chairman

Earlier in the day, the Speaker of Nepal's House of Representatives, Devaraj Ghimire and Chairman of the National Assembly Narayan Dahal called for resolving the ongoing political deadlock within the framework of the Constitution.

“President Ramchandra Paudel is taking initiatives to address the situation while respecting the people’s sovereignty, civil liberties, territorial integrity, national unity, and independence,” said a joint statement issued by Ghimire and Dahal.

The Kathmandu Post newspaper said the statement stressed that “the rule of law and constitutionalism must not be bypassed.” The statement, issued after a meeting between Ghimire and Dahal, also urged all parties to address the demands of protesters and commit to a stronger, more prosperous democracy.

“We are confident that we must not stray from the rule of law and constitutionalism,” they said, stressing that the ongoing process to form a citizen-led government should address the protesters’ demands while ensuring that democracy grows stronger and more resilient,” MyRepublica news portal said, quoting the statement.

Oli quit on Tuesday following a violent youth-led agitation, following which the Nepal Army imposed restrictions due to serious law and order situation across provinces.

(With agency inputs)