• Source:JND
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Nepal Next PM: Nepal's former chief justice, Sushila Karki, became the prime minister of the Himalyan nation, news agency ANI reported on Friday. However, she will be the interim chief of the country. The major development came hours after Npeal President announced that the Parlament has been dissolved. Simultaneously, she took oath, replacing KP Sharma Oli. Nepal's first and only female chief justice, Karki, 73, is known for her honesty, integrity, and stand against corruption.

Sushila Karki: Nepal's first female Prime Minister

Jurist Karki emerged as a popular choice to lead an interim government during deliberations between the Gen Z group, which led violent protests in Nepal leading to the ouster of prime minister K P Sharma Oli on Tuesday, President Ramchandra Paudel and the Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel.

Karki was appointed as the 24th Chief Justice of Nepal in July 2016 becoming the first and the only woman as of date to occupy the post. She remained in the post for around 11 months.
“She has made a reputation of a bold and fair justice with zero tolerance to corruption,” remarked Dinesh Tripathi, Senior Advocate. “As a bold and determined justice, she has stood strong against corruption.”

Karki faced an impeachment motion -- considered as politically biased by several stakeholders -- moved by the then Sherbahadur Deuba government, but it was later withdrawn.

ALSO READ: Who Is Sushila Karki? Ex-Chief Justice Now Frontrunner To Lead Interim Govt

Sushila Karki's Indian connection

Born on June 7, 1952 at Shankerpur-3 in eastern Nepal's Biratnagar, close to the Indian border, she completed her Bachelors from Mahendra Morang campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal in 1971 and Masters degree in political science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1975. She returned to Tribhuvan University to earn a degree in law in 1978.

Karki spent 32 years in the judicial profession and became a symbol of progress for women in the field of judiciary. She started her law practice in Biratnagar in 1979 when her strong academic background shaped her legal career. In between she was also appointed as an assistant teacher at Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan in 1985.

How Gen Z protest led to KP Oli's ouster 

Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli quit on Tuesday shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation for the death of at least 19 people in police action during Monday's protests over corruption and a social media ban. On Friday, the death toll reached 51. The ban on social media was lifted Monday night.

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President Paudel has accepted Oli's resignation but stated that the cabinet led by him will continue to run the government until a new Council of Ministers is formed. According to the Ministry of Health, the number of people killed so far during the protests held on Monday and Tuesday has risen to 51.

(With inputs from agency)