Who Is Sushila Karki, Former Chief Justice Now Gen Z Appointed Interim Head Of Nepal Govt?

Last Updated:September 10, 2025, 18:46 IST

Amid Nepal’s political turmoil, Gen-Z protesters chose former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, a seasoned and respected figure, to lead their push against nepotism and corruption.

Nepal's former Chief Justice Sushila Karki. (IMAGE: SOURCED/NEWS18)

On Wednesday morning, Nepal’s Gen Z protesters turned to someone far older and experienced to guide the nation through political turmoil. According to Khabarhub, during a Zoom meeting to draft their agenda, participants used anime avatars or left their display pictures blank which is a style typical of online youth communities that reflects the movement’s character. From this session, they chose former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to lead the country while the army maintains control and civilian leaders remain in hiding. The decision follows mass protests over corruption, nepotism and a social media ban, which escalated into deadly clashes.

Karki is seen amongst the people of Nepal as a crusader against corruption. Among her notable cases and judgments she presided over, she delivered a landmark ruling that significantly advanced women’s rights in the country. She ruled that Nepali women could pass citizenship to their children, a right that had previously been restricted to men.

Hari Phuyal, a senior lawyer and former student of Karki, who began her career as a teacher, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in 2016, that she “strongly believes that competent women should be in leadership positions for the emancipation of women".

Gen Z protesters had also floated the name of Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah but ultimately chose the septuagenarian for her stance against corruption.

A report by Khabarhub said that Karki conveyed her willingness to lead the government over a phone call. Gen Z representatives are now scheduled to meet Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel to discuss the formation of the interim government under her leadership.

If approved by the Army Chief, Karki will assume charge at this critical juncture, guiding Nepal through its ongoing political crisis.

Her selection also reflects her longstanding neutrality. Back in 2017, the Prachanda-led government was thrown into turmoil when his party, along with the Nepali Congress, filed an impeachment motion against her, sparking widespread street protests.

Karki’s public credibility is reinforced by her rulings in Om Bhakta Rana v. CIAA/Government of Nepal, which addressed corruption in Nepal’s peacekeeping missions, and Prithivi Bahadur Pandey v. Kathmandu District Court, dealing with corruption in the printing of polymer banknotes in Australia.

The Banaras Hindu University alumna also delivered landmark judgments on surrogacy and property rights of former royal family members.

Born in Biratnagar in 1952, Karki earned a degree in political science from Tribhuvan University and served jail time during the monarchy-led Panchayat regime.

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