Sushila Karki, the former Chief Justice, was sworn in as Nepal’s temporary Prime Minister, and Kathmandu is preparing for a new chapter in its turbulent political history. Sources claim that President Ramchandra Paudel, members of the Generation Z protest movement in Nepal, and General Ashok Raj Sigdel, the head of the Nepal Army, came to an agreement on this measure following days of historic protests that resulted in former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation. The agreement was finalized.
Who Is Sushila Karki?
Sushila Karki, who is currently the first female Prime Minister of an interim administration in Nepal, has strong ties to India, particularly Varanasi. She received her MA in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1975.
Her spouse, Durga Prasad Subedi, was a student at BHU when she first met him. As one of the leaders of the nation’s first plane hijacking in 1973, Subedi went on to play an important part in Nepal’s political history, according to The Times of India.
Education And Career
In 1975, Sushila Karki graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Biratnagar’s Mahendra Morang Campus. She later graduated from Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, with a Master’s degree in Political Science. Later, she graduated from Tribhuvan University in Nepal with a Bachelor’s degree in Law.
In 1979, Karki started practicing law in Biratnagar. She had previously spent a brief period of time in 1985 working as an assistant teacher at Mahendra Multiple Campus in Dharan. In 2007, she was promoted to Senior Advocate.
On January 22, 2009, she was appointed to the Supreme Court as an ad hoc justice. On November 18, 2010, she was promoted to Permanent Justice.
From April 13, 2016, to July 10, 2016, Karki was the Supreme Court’s Acting Chief Justice. From July 11, 2016, to June 7, 2017, Karki was the Court’s formal Chief Justice.
The Protests That Helped Her Gain Power
This week, protesters who disobeyed curfews were shot at by police, resulting in at least 51 fatalities and over 1,300 injuries. In an apparent attempt to calm down anger, the Oli government banned social media nationally, which sparked the protests. Although the prohibition has subsequently been lifted, Mr. Oli resigned as a result of the growing unrest.
The deaths, which comprised nine inmates, three police officers, eighteen other people, and twenty-one demonstrators, were confirmed by police. Families are just now starting to pick up their loved ones’ remains from hospitals in Kathmandu.
In certain areas of Kathmandu, stores reopened on Friday, and troops were observed leaving the streets. At important junctions, police officers were still present but now carried batons rather than firearms.
Why Did Gen Z Choose Sushila Karki?
Long regarded as a bold and independent voice in Nepal’s judiciary, Sushila Karki made history in 2016 as the country’s first female Chief Justice.
She made a number of historic decisions during her tenure on the bench that won her admiration across the nation. The first serving minister in Nepal to be imprisoned for corruption was Jaya Prakash Gupta, who was convicted on corruption charges in 2012. She has presided over instances of the contentious Nijgadh Fast Track project and corruption in peacekeeping efforts.
She was the preferred candidate of the Gen Z protesters because of her record. Journalist Bhadra Sharma claims that during a four-hour virtual conference with over 5,000 participants, the majority of them voted in favor of Karki with 58.9%.
“Sushila Karki is our choice to lead the next administration,” Gen Z leader Rakshya Bam was cited as saying. “The same proposal is being formalized today after consulting with the Army Chief.” It’s interesting to note that Karki emerged as the consensus choice of the protest organizers after Balen Shah, the mayor of Kathmandu, who was earlier predicted to be the front-runner, did not receive a favorable reaction (32%).
Nepal-India Relations
Earlier, India expressed confidence that the political shift would promote peace and stability, praising the establishment of a new temporary government in Nepal led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reaffirmed its commitment to fortifying relations with Kathmandu amid this transitional phase in a statement. “The Right Honourable Mrs. Sushila Karki has formed a new provisional government in Nepal, which we support,” the MEA expressed hope that this will contribute to the promotion of peace and stability.
According to the ministry, “As a close neighbour, a fellow democracy, and a long-term development partner, India will continue to work closely with Nepal for the well-being and prosperity of our two peoples and countries.”
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