KATHMANDU: Sushila Karki, former Chief Justice of Nepal, was sworn in by President Paudel on September 12, 2025, making her the country’s first female prime minister. She was appointed by President Ramchandra Paudel after deadly anti-graft and nepotism protests toppled the previous coalition government led by four-time Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.
According to thewire.in, “Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Karki in the Presidential Palace in Kathmandu at around 9:45 pm local time on Friday (September 12). On Karki’s recommendation as prime minister Paudel then dissolved Nepal’s lower house of parliament, its 275-member House of Representatives, with effect on 11 pm local time.
Karki also decided that the next election to the House of Representatives must take place on March 6 next year.” (Update says, Elections on March 5, 2025)
Sushila Karki is 73 years old and a former chief justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court.Her appointment followed an violent unprecedented movement predominantly led by young “Gen Z” activists demanding clean governance and an end to nepotism.
She is widely respected for her integrity and reputation for fighting corruption, although she previously faced impeachment attempts during her tenure as chief justice.
Sushila Karki will lead an interim government tasked with restoring order, investigating recent violence, and overseeing fresh elections, which are currently planned for March 2026. Her appointment was supported by protesters via online polls and was the result of consultations with all major mainstream political parties, including from the Army and “Gen Z” leaders.
Founding President of the Nepalese Associations of Victoria & the Federation of Nepalese Associations of Australia, Dr, Raju Adhikari, talking to SAT Editor detailed the reasons for the unrest, the new interim arrangement and the emotional situation faced by the Nepalese Diaspora in Victoria and Australia:
Fifty-one died in deadly protests by Gen Z, and caused a major political turmoil with politicians homes, prominent buildings including the Parliament and htels amonng others were torched.
“For the first time in the country’s history, a protest of this size has been entirely led by young people from Generation Z (born roughly between 1997 and 2012). Out of nearly 30 million people in Nepal, about 40% belong to this generation, ” says an article in The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/deadly-nepal-protests-reflect-a-wider-pattern-of-gen-z-political-activism-across-asia-264968)
Reports indicate the urgent immediate tasks include restore public order, probe police conduct and plug corruption at high levels.Dissolve Parliament as demanded by the protesters but opposed by the mainstream parties, followed by new elections.
The appointment of an interim cabinet is also considered an immediate need and maintaining stability. There are demands the revamping process be within the ambit of the constitution, amid maintaining balanced relations with China and India.
Nepal has had a shaky political system since the monarchy (Rana dynasty) was abolished in 1951 and democracy ushered in. The country has seen 23 Prime Minister’s since then. It has a unique election system, a mix of first past the post (like India) and proportional representation that considers the whole country as one single electoral constituency. The system has led to coalition type politics with three main parties and many smaller and regional parties. The main parties being UML (Left), Maoists (Left) and the Nepalese Congress (Centre-Left).
UPDATE: Source DW News, Reuters etc.:
– Death toll during Nepal’s 2 days unrest revised to 72 and 2,113 injured. It is not known how many those who died were protesters & how many were non-protesters (those not involved, caught up in violence or trapped in burning buildings etc.) who died during the arson and violence. Many victims bodies have been located in burnt out properties, reports from Nepal say.
-The wife of former prime minister of Nepal Jhala Nath Khanal died Tuesday after she was burned alive when her home was set on fire amid violent anti-government protests in the country, regional media reported.(Newsweek, Sept 10, 2025)
-The new Nepal elections have been scheduled for March 5, 2025.
The write-up has been prepared from many sources.
Updated on 13 September, 2025, 6.34 am AEST
