Meet Nepal’s Likely Next PM Sushila Karki, Backed By Gen Z Protesters, Once Faced Impeachment, Her Indian Connection & Historic Judgments

Nepal’s “Gez Z” protesters on Wednesday reportedly supported former chief justice Sushila Karki for the post of interim prime minister, following consultations with the secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association. The secretary confirmed the decision to Reuters. The protests, which began on Monday over a ban on social media platforms, escalated into violent clashes between protestors and security forces. While the social media ban was lifted and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned, protesters set fire to government buildings as well as the residences of lawmakers and ministers.  

Following the unrest, Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak also resigned. President Ram Chandra Paudel and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel urged protesters to engage in dialogue to resolve the crisis. The Army assumed control of national security, after which protesters held discussions to select representatives who would negotiate with stakeholders regarding the formation of an interim government.  

Who is Sushila Karki?  

Sushila Karki emerged as a leading candidate during a virtual meeting of protesters that lasted around four hours. Reports stated that she received more votes than Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah, another contender for the interim prime minister position.  

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Karki, the first female chief justice of Nepal, was born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Morang district. She completed her undergraduate studies at Mahendra Morang College in Biratnagar and earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). She later studied law at Tribhuvan University in Nepal.  

Her legal career began in the late 1970s, and she was appointed as a Justice in the Supreme Court of Nepal in 2009, according to reports. 

Sushila Karki As Chief Justice of Nepal

Karki served as chief justice from July 2016 to June 2017. During her tenure, political parties filed an impeachment motion against her, accusing her of interfering in executive decisions. She was temporarily suspended, but the motion was withdrawn after court intervention, leading to her reinstatement.  

Karki’s during her tenure as chief justice gave some historic judgments, including cases on high-profile corruption, irregularities in police appointments, and the establishment of fast-track courts.

One of her most significant judgments enabled women in Nepal to pass citizenship rights to their children, a historic step toward gender equality in the country.  

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