Ex CJI Ms Sushila Karki Takes Oath as First Female Interim Prime Minister of Nepal

In a groundbreaking moment for Nepalese politics, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as Nepal’s first female interim Prime Minister on September 12, 2025, at the President’s Office in Kathmandu. The oath-taking ceremony, scheduled for 9:15 p.m. local time, marked the culmination of intense negotiations following days of youth-led protests against corruption and governance failures that led to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. At 73, Karki’s appointment as the head of an interim administration is seen as a nod to her judicial integrity and neutrality, selected unanimously by Gen Z protesters amid the country’s worst upheaval in years.

The ceremony was presided over by President Ram Chandra Paudel, with Karki taking the oath in the presence of key political figures, army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and representatives from the protest movement. Information officer Archana Khadka Adhikari confirmed the timing, emphasizing the swift resolution to restore stability after violent demonstrations that torched government buildings and prompted a curfew in Kathmandu. Karki’s selection came after a four-hour virtual meeting of young organizers, who insisted on a non-partisan leader unconnected to political parties, positioning her as a symbol of impartiality in a polarized landscape.