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After marathon meetings that began late Thursday (September 11, 2025), Nepal’s President Ram Chandra Poudel on Friday (September 12, 2025) agreed to dissolve Parliament, a key demand of the Gen Z protesters who brought down the government of K.P. Sharma Oli on September 9. The President named former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to lead an interim government.
Also read: Nepal unrest highlights | Sushila Karki becomes first woman to lead government
First woman Chief Justice Sushila Karki took the oath and became the country’s first woman Prime Minister on Friday (September 12, 2025).
Even after Gen Z campaigners agreed on Ms. Karki’s name as the leader of the next government, a dispute over the dissolution of Parliament had delayed the announcement.
‘House dissolution non-negotiable’
Mr. Poudel has held several rounds of consultations with Ms. Karki and other legal experts, facilitated by the Army, since Thursday (September 11, 2025) night. According to sources and experts he consulted, the Nepali President was extremely concerned that dissolving Parliament before appointing the head of government could give a free rein to the new Cabinet, with nobody to hold it accountable.
Ms. Karki, however, backed the protesters’ demand that the House be dissolved. Protesters argued that if Parliament was not dissolved, the same old parties against whom they fought would retain their control and influence.
Sudan Gurung, a prominent Gen Z campaigner, said on Thursday (September 11, 2025) that House dissolution was non-negotiable, echoing Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, a leading figure in the movement. Protesters had agreed on the choice of Ms. Karki only after Mr. Shah endorsed her.
Extended consultations
As young campaigners waited in front of the President’s Office throughout Friday (September 12, 2025), party insiders said Mr. Poudel had also consulted major political leaders, who told him that any action he took should remain within constitutional limits.
The Army, the key facilitator whose presence on the streets has ensured a semblance of calm, was waiting for the process to move ahead as soon as possible and was getting exasperated as the hours passed, sources said.
Though some expressed concerns that the process of appointing Ms. Karki fell outside constitutional bounds, constitutional expert Bipin Adhikari said it was “unlikely” to be challenged in court.
“Given that her appointment is a remedial measure taken at a time of crisis, its legitimacy is not likely to be questioned,” said Mr. Adhikari, who is also a professor of law at Kathmandu University. “Crises have been handled in a similar way in the past as well.”
Gen Z takeover
Nepal’s tech-savvy Gen Z, frustrated with the political class for their years of misrule and flashy, luxurious lifestyles, hit the streets. At least 19 people were killed in a brutal response by the Oli government on Monday (September 8, 2025), which triggered further protests and a sweeping social media ban. On Tuesday (September 9, 2025), the protests turned violent, as demonstrators stormed politicians’ homes, set them on fire, and manhandled them. They also burnt down key government infrastructure — the Supreme Court, Parliament, and Singha Durbar, the seat of the government — in a symbolic takeover of the state.
As the protests escalated, Mr. Oli stepped down and has been under Army protection since. After much deliberation, the campaigners locked in Ms. Karki’s name to lead a civilian government to clean up the mess created by political parties and lead the country forward.
Now that Ms. Karki has been given the helm of the country, a daunting task rests on her shoulders — staying true to the demands of Gen Z and overseeing elections to hand over power to a newly elected democratic government.
Anti-corruption crusader
Ms. Karki is widely regarded as clean and upright, with many even calling her an anti-corruption crusader. She holds a master’s degree in political science from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and a law degree from Tribhuvan University. After serving as Acting Chief Justice from April 13 to July 10, 2016, she was appointed Chief Justice on July 11, 2016. She retired on June 7, 2017.
Lok Raj Baral, a professor and former Ambassador of Nepal to India, says that in the current context, the selection of Ms. Karki is wholly justified.
“The immediate challenges for her would be to maintain law and order, boost confidence among all organs of the state, and oversee elections,” said Mr. Baral, author of Nepal: From Monarchy to Republic, in an interview with The Hindu. “With her clean image and upright personality, I believe she will be able to carry out the task of peacefully handing over power.”
Top priorities
After assuming office, Ms. Karki will need to form a Cabinet by appointing Ministers to carry out essential functions of government while leading the country toward elections.
Mr. Adhikari says the first two priorities of the interim government should be an independent investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the September 8 carnage, and a criminal investigation into those who carried out attacks and arson against state infrastructure.
“The interim head also needs to pave the way for constitutional reforms to strengthen democracy and accountability,” he added.
Published – September 12, 2025 10:39 pm IST
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Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki becomes first woman to lead government in Nepal
