Prime Minister Modi Congratulates Sushila Karki on Becoming Nepal’s Interim Premier

New Delhi/Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended his congratulations to Sushila Karki on assuming charge as the Interim Prime Minister of Nepal. 

Karki was chosen to lead the transitional government in the wake of deadly protests that forced the resignation of former Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli last week.

Taking to X, Modi wrote:
“I extend my best wishes to Right Hon. Mrs. Sushila Karki on assuming office as the Prime Minister of the Interim Government of Nepal. India remains firmly committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of the people of Nepal.”

Nepal’s political landscape witnessed a dramatic turn on Friday, as the national parliament was dissolved just hours after Karki, a former Chief Justice, was sworn in as Interim Prime Minister. The dissolution followed days of violent anti-government demonstrations that culminated in the burning of the parliament building and the downfall of the Oli administration, according to CNN.

Kiran Pokharel, Press Advisor to President Ram Chandra Paudel, confirmed the development to AFP, stating: “The parliament has been dissolved on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The election date is March 5, 2026.”

At 73, Sushila Karki took the oath of office at the presidential residence, pledging to guide the country through a six-month transitional period leading up to the polls. “I, Sushila Karki, take an oath in the name of the country and the people to fulfil my duty as the Prime Minister,” she declared during the ceremony.

Her appointment marks a historic milestone: Karki is not only the first former Chief Justice to serve as Nepal’s Prime Minister but also the first woman to have previously held the top judicial post. She rose to prominence in 2016 as Nepal’s first female Chief Justice, earning respect for her uncompromising stance against corruption and her firm defense of judicial independence.

Karki’s elevation follows two days of intense negotiations led by Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and President Paudel. The talks included representatives of the youth-led protest movement, widely known as “Gen Z,” which played a decisive role in mobilizing the anti-corruption demonstrations that toppled the Oli government.

Born in Morang district in eastern Nepal, Karki studied law at Banaras Hindu University in India before embarking on a distinguished legal career. As Chief Justice, she frequently clashed with the executive, most notably in 2017 when her bench overturned the government’s politically motivated appointment of a new police chief. That ruling, hailed as a victory for meritocracy, triggered an impeachment motion against her by the ruling coalition. The motion was later withdrawn amid public outrage, further cementing her image as a principled defender of institutional integrity.