Daijiworld Media Network - Kathmandu
Kathmandu, Sep 12: In a historic and controversial turn of events, 73-year-old Sushila Karki, Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice, has now become the country’s first-ever woman Prime Minister. She was sworn in late Friday evening by President Ram Chandra Poudel following days of intense political turmoil sparked by the Gen-Z protests that led to the collapse of the KP Sharma Oli government.
Karki’s appointment comes not through constitutional protocol but under the extraordinary "principle of necessity" — a legal grey area that has been invoked during times of political crisis in Nepal since the 1950 revolution. The Constitution of Nepal strictly states that only a member of the House of Representatives can become Prime Minister, and also bars former Chief Justices from holding executive office. Yet, overwhelming public support, especially from youth-led protestors demanding accountability and fresh leadership, paved the way for Karki’s elevation.
The Gen-Z protests had gripped the nation earlier this week, with over 50 lives lost and widespread damage to property. Young demonstrators rejected traditional political figures and instead rallied around Karki, seeing her as a figure of integrity and justice. After prolonged consultations between the President, constitutional experts, security officials, and protest leaders, Karki’s name was endorsed as the compromise choice to lead an interim government until fresh elections are held.
Legal experts, while lauding her character and past service, have expressed concern over the precedent this appointment sets. Constitutional lawyer Bipin Adhikari warned that repeated departures from constitutional norms could erode the rule of law, even though he acknowledged Karki’s commitment to constitutional values during her judicial career.
Support for Karki has come from across Nepal’s political and civil spectrum. Former Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha vouched for her integrity, while former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai called her appointment a welcome move by the youth seeking change. However, expectations are high. Karki’s interim administration is under pressure not only to conduct elections within a strict timeline but also to investigate the violence during the protests and address the root causes—corruption, unemployment, and lack of governance—that brought thousands into the streets.
Born in 1952 in Biratnagar, Karki broke several barriers throughout her life. At a time when few women pursued education, she studied law and political science in Nepal and India before starting her legal career in 1979. She became a senior advocate in 2007, joined the Supreme Court in 2009, and rose to become Chief Justice in 2016. Known for her uncompromising stance on integrity, she delivered landmark rulings, including the disqualification of the controversial anti-corruption chief Lok Man Singh Karki. Her brief suspension over a politically sensitive ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court, reaffirming her independence.
Her political roots also run deep. Karki’s father was a Nepali Congress loyalist inspired by B.P. Koirala, and her husband, Durga Subedi, was involved in Nepal’s first aircraft hijacking in 1973, aimed at funding an armed rebellion against the monarchy.
As Karki steps into the most politically charged role of her life, she faces a nation in flux, a restless generation demanding answers, and a legal framework she once defended now bent to install her at the helm. The eyes of Nepal are on her not just as a symbol of change, but as a caretaker expected to steer the country back to democratic stability.