Nepal Appoints Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as Interim Prime Minister

Nepal’s former Chief Justice, Sushila Karki, has been appointed as the country’s interim prime minister following a week of violent unrest that left at least 51 people dead and more than 1,300 injured.

The announcement was made on Friday by the office of President Ramchandra Paudel, who confirmed that the 73-year-old—Nepal’s first female head of government—had been sworn in shortly after her appointment.

Karki, who remains the only woman ever to serve as Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, is widely regarded as a principled and courageous figure.

“She is a credible choice to lead the interim government,” said former Supreme Court Justice Anil Kumar Sinha. “Her integrity has never been in doubt, and she is not someone who can be intimidated or easily influenced.”

Police spokesperson Binod Ghimire said the week’s death toll included 21 protesters, nine prisoners, three police officers, and 18 others, without providing further details. He added that over 13,500 prisoners escaped from jails across the country during the turmoil, with 12,533 still on the run. Some fugitives were killed in clashes with security forces, while others attempted to cross into India, where many have since been detained by border guards.

The Nepalese army, which has enforced a curfew, reported recovering more than 100 looted firearms, including automatic rifles brandished by protesters.

A constitutional expert advising the president told Reuters that younger Nepalese citizens, particularly Gen Z, had rallied behind Karki’s candidacy. “They want Karki. This will happen today,” the expert said before the official announcement.

Born in 1952 in Biratnagar, an industrial hub in eastern Nepal, Karki studied political science in India before earning a law degree in Kathmandu. She began her legal career in 1979, quickly establishing herself as a fearless advocate who often took on cases avoided by others.

Her elevation to interim prime minister marks a historic and symbolic moment for Nepal as the country attempts to restore stability amid one of its worst political crises in recent years.