Sushila Karki sworn in as Nepal's interim PM, general elections on March 21

Kathmandu: Scripting history, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki took oath as Nepal’s first woman prime minister on Friday, to lead an interim government, ending days of political uncertainty after the resignation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli amid public protests. After the oath taking ceremony, Nepal president  dissolved the House of Representatives at the recommendation of newly appointed PM.

The house was dissolved with effect from 11 pm on September 12, 2025, according to a notice issued by the President's Office. The President has also fixed March 21, 2026, as the date for holding the fresh Parliamentary elections, the notice said.

President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office to Karki, 73, at the President’s Office around 9.15 pm. Besides President Paudel and the newly-elected interim prime minister, Vice President Ram Sahay Yadav and Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Rawat were present during the occasion.

According to unconfirmed reports, the interim government has decided to impose emergency measures in Nepal from Friday night and beef up security across the nation. However, a final decision regarding this will be taken only after the first cabinet meeting, say reports. 
Himalayam Times reported that no agreement has been reached on Karki’s cabinet. Hence, she will temporarily oversee all portfolios. 

Karki was chosen to lead the interim government after a meeting between President Paudel, Nepal's top military brass, and the youth protesters, who spearheaded the anti-government protests. A meeting held between President Paudel, the Nepal Army chief and representatives of the 'Gen Z' protesters agreed on Karki's name to head the interim government.

President Paudel also consulted leaders of all major political parties, legal experts and civil society leaders separately before deciding to appoint Karki as the caretaker prime minister. Oli quit on Tuesday following the violent youth-led agitation.

The major demands by the Gen Z protesters included checking corruption, ending political disorder, and nepotism, and lifting a ban on the social media sites. That ban was lifted on Monday night.

Earlier on Friday, Speaker of Nepal's House of Representatives Devaraj Ghimire and Chairman of the National Assembly Narayan Dahal called for resolving the ongoing political deadlock "within the framework of the Constitution."

"The rule of law and constitutionalism must not be bypassed," said a joint statement, issued after a meeting between Ghimire and Dahal.

They also urged all parties to address the demands of protesters and commit to a stronger, more prosperous democracy.

"We are confident that we must not stray from the rule of law and constitutionalism," they said, stressing that the ongoing process to form a citizen-led government should address the protesters' demands while ensuring that democracy grows stronger and more resilient."

Latest data from Nepal police said that at least 51 people, including an Indian national, died in the 'Gen Z'-led violent protests.

Senior Superintendent of Police Ramesh Thapa, who is co-spokesperson for Nepal police, said the casualties include one Indian national and three policemen, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

Soon after taking control of the law and order situation after the collapse of the government, the Army had issued prohibitory orders.The Army on Thursday extended prohibitory orders in three districts of Kathmandu Valley while allowing public movement during specific windows, as the Himalayan nation gradually returned to normalcy.

Meanwhile, the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) on Friday said Nepal's hotel industry, a vital revenue earner of its tourism-driven economy, has suffered a loss of over 25 billion Nepalese rupees after nearly two dozen hotels across the country were vandalised, looted or torched during the student-led anti-government protests.

Among the worst hit is the Hilton Hotel in Kathmandu, which alone reported damages exceeding Rs 8 billion, My Republica news portal reported, quoting a HAN statement.

Nepalese authorities announced temporary measures to facilitate foreign nationals stranded in the country due to the ongoing curfew in the Kathmandu Valley. According to Immigration officials, international travellers whose visas were valid through September 8 can now obtain exit permits and regularise their visas without paying additional fees, The Himalayan Times reported.