Sushila Karki shares a deep connection with India, especially with Banaras.
Amid violent protests in Nepal, demonstrators have reportedly backed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the interim prime minister. Her name came up after the resignation of KP Sharma Oli, who stepped down following widespread unrest.
According to Reuters, the decision was confirmed by the secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association after consultations with the protesters. The protests began on Monday after the government banned social media platforms, and the move triggered anger across the country, leading to violent clashes between protesters and security forces.
Government offices and lawmakers’ residences were torched. While Oli resigned and the ban was lifted, the violence did not stop. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak also stepped down amid the crisis.
President Ram Chandra Paudel and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel have urged protesters to join the dialogue. With the Army now controlling security, demonstrators held discussions to pick their representatives for talks on forming an interim government.
Sushila Karki shares a deep connection with India, especially with Banaras. She studied at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where she completed her Master’s degree in Political Science. During a recent interview, she fondly recalled her student days in Varanasi.
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“I still remember my late teachers, my late friends... I still remember the river Ganga. Besides the Ganga, there was a hostel,” she said, describing how she often slept on the terrace during the hot summers.
Sushila Karki, born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Morang district, is a respected legal figure. She made history by becoming the first female Chief Justice of Nepal.
Her name was suggested in a four-hour-long virtual meeting of protesters. Reports said she received more votes than Kathmandu mayor Balen Shah, another strong contender.
Karki has strong links with India. She completed her graduation at Mahendra Morang College in Biratnagar and later earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh.
In an interview with CNN-News18, she fondly remembered her days in Varanasi. "I still remember my late teachers, my late friends... I still remember the river Ganga. Besides the Ganga, there was a hostel," she said, recalling how she used to sleep on the terrace during summers.
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Later, she pursued law at Nepal’s Tribhuvan University, beginning her legal career in the late 1970s.
Sushila Karki became a justice in the Nepal Supreme Court in 2009. She was appointed as Chief Justice in July 2016 and served until June 2017.
During her tenure, she gave verdicts in several important cases, including high-profile corruption scandals, irregular police appointments, and the creation of fast-track courts.
One of her landmark rulings allowed women to pass citizenship rights to their children, a historic step for gender equality in Nepal.
However, her term also faced controversy, as political parties filed an impeachment motion against her, accusing her of interfering with executive decisions. She was suspended but later reinstated after the court intervened.
In a recent interview, Karki confirmed that she was ready to take on the responsibility. She said she would not shy away from serving the country during this turbulent time.
With the support of Nepal’s youth protesters and her legal background, Sushila Karki has emerged as a strong choice for interim leadership.
The coming days will decide if she becomes Nepal’s next interim prime minister.
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