Nepal Protest Live Updates: Supreme Court, commercial activities to resume in Kathmandu as consensus on interim chief stays in limbo

Uncertainty over Nepal’s interim government has deepened after the fall of K P Sharma Oli, with Gen Z protest groups split on leadership and President Ram Chandra Poudel insisting solutions must remain within the Constitution. This complicates Nepal Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel’s push to install former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim head—an offer she accepted despite legal restrictions on retired judges holding political office.

Poudel’s stance, backed by major parties including the Nepali Congress, CPN (UML), and Maoist Centre, raises the possibility of power returning to Parliament, where Oli’s party still holds sway, increasing chances of his comeback.

Read the full report HERE

Gen Z leaders said they were not seeking to dismantle Nepal’s existing constitution, but rather revise it to reflect current needs, The Kathmandu Post reported.

At a press conference in Kathmandu, Sudan Gurung, chief of Hami Nepal, the group facilitating the Gen Z movement, clarified that their immediate demand was the dissolution of Parliament and the formation of a non-partisan government that includes Gen Z representatives.

“The constitution will not be scrapped but it needs revision,” Gurung said, adding, “There will be interference from others if it is dismantled.”

Chaos briefly erupted at a press briefing in Kathmandu as Gen Z leaders addressed ongoing anti-government protests. The youth-led movement cited rampant corruption and political stagnation as the driving forces behind their mass mobilisation, which has spread across major cities including Pokhara, Butwal, and Birgunj.

"We are staging this movement against corruption, as it is rampant," said Diwakar Dangal, reflecting the frustrations of thousands of young Nepalese who have taken to the streets since September 8. The protests initially began peacefully but have at times escalated, a development the leaders attribute to interference from political actors.

The protest leaders emphasised the need for political accountability and reforms, while rejecting full assumption of governmental leadership at this stage. Ojashwi Raj Thapa, a face of the youth uprising, who addressed the challenges within the movement, noted, "We are not capable of taking full leadership yet, and it will take us time to mature into that role. Some party members think they can infiltrate and divide us. This bloodshed is your doing, the doing of old leaders. We don't want violence. We want the parliament dissolved, not the constitution scrapped."

Anil Baniya, another Gen Z leader added that while peaceful protests were intended, political cadres were responsible for moments of chaos, including arson and vandalism. The leaders clarified that their goal is to amend the constitution where necessary, not dismantle it. (ANI)

Nepal’s youth-led Gen Z movement on Thursday called for the dissolution of Parliament and amendments to the Constitution to better reflect the people’s will, as the death toll from recent protests rose to 34.

The group held a press conference to outline their demands, while some representatives engaged in talks with President Ramchandra Paudel and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel at the Army Headquarters, seeking a resolution to the ongoing political crisis.

At the press meet, Gen Z activists stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation in resolving the turmoil. Representatives Diwakar Dangal, Amit Baniya, and Junal Dangal addressed the media, cautioning established political parties against exploiting the movement for personal gain. “This is purely a civilian movement, so don't try to play politics with this,” one activist said.

Dangal highlighted the challenge of safeguarding national sovereignty, unity, and self-respect, urging all Nepalis to unite in protecting the country’s welfare and interests. Another activist emphasized that Parliament must be dissolved and the Constitution amended to address the concerns of the people. “We don't intend to scrap the constitution, but we want some major amendments to include people's concerns,” he said.

Regarding leadership, some activists expressed support for former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the new Prime Minister, while others backed former Nepal Electricity Authority CEO Kulman Ghising.

The Gen Z representatives also clarified that they did not aim to take over governance. “We will not participate in the government, but rather we want to remain as a watchdog,” one activist stated. (PTI)

Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel on Thursday broke his silence on the deepening unrest, appealing for calm and pledging to seek a solution to the crisis within the constitutional framework.

It was the first time Paudel spoke publicly since angry Gen Z-led protesters torched both his official office and private residence on Tuesday, forcing him into military protection.

In a statement, the president urged citizens and political stakeholders alike to exercise patience, maintain order and place their trust in his ongoing efforts. “I am making every effort to protect democracy and to find a way out from the present political impasse within the constitutional framework while at the same time maintaining law and order,” Paudel said.

He added that dialogue remained the only path forward: “I appeal to all parties to be confident that a solution to the problem is being sought as soon as possible to address the demands of the agitating citizens and to cooperate in maintaining peace and order in the country with restraint.”

Another public statement issued in the name of Gen Z has proposed Kulman Ghising as the head of Nepal’s interim government, signalling divisions among groups over leadership choices, Kantipur TV reported.

The statement argued that, under the constitution, former chief justices and judges are ineligible for the post, while those above 70 — like Sushila Karki — cannot represent Gen Z.

It further noted that Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah has shown no interest, and Harka Sampang is unlikely to unite everyone, leading them to endorse Ghising — described as the engineer who ended Nepal’s load-shedding crisis, a patriotic figure, and someone widely respected.

Earlier, another faction of Gen Z had backed Karki for the role. Karki, however, has reiterated that she is ready to lead and is reportedly holding discussions at military headquarters.

Nepal’s Immigration Department will grant free visa renewals to foreign tourists whose permits expired after September 8, in a bid to ease travel for visitors stranded in the country amid unrest.

Three inmates were killed on Thursday during clashes with security personnel at a jail, while over 15,000 prisoners have escaped from more than two dozen prisons since violent anti-government protests erupted in Nepal.

With the latest deaths, the number of prisoners who died during clashes with security forces has increased to eight since violence erupted on Tuesday.

The violent agitation forced prime minister K P Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday, following which the Nepal Army imposed restrictions due to a serious law and order situation across provinces.

On Thursday morning, three inmates were killed and 13 others injured after a violent clash broke out between prisoners and security personnel at the Ramechhap district prison in Madhesh province, the police source said.

The confrontation began when inmates attempted to break out of the facility by causing an explosion using a gas cylinder. Security forces opened fire in order to regain control when three of the inmates were killed, the source said.

The injured were taken to Ramechhap District Hospital, police said.

Since the violence erupted on Tuesday, more than two dozen prisons across the country witnessed clashes and breaks with mass escapes with thousands of inmates fleeing amid arson attacks and riots, a media report said Thursday.

“The jailbreaks began when youth protesters stormed multiple prison facilities, setting administrative buildings ablaze and forcing open prison gates. By Wednesday evening, preliminary reports confirmed that over 15,000 inmates had fled from more than 25 prisons, with only a fraction returning voluntarily or being rearrested,” newspaper The Kathmandu Post said, quoting police.

In Gandaki province, the Kaski District Prison which saw 773 escapees, jailor Rajendra Sharma said among the escapees were 13 Indian nationals and four other foreigners.

The Department of Prison Management stated that it was still compiling final figures from all provinces, the news report said. Director General Lila Prasad Sharma confirmed that security forces—including the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police—had been deployed nationwide to re-arrest escapees and restore order.

“We are mobilising all available resources to re-arrest them as quickly as possible,” the Kathmandu Post quoted DG Sharma as saying.

Earlier, five juvenile inmates died in a clash with security personnel at the Naubasta Correctional Home in Naubasta Regional Jail located in Baijnath Rural Municipality-3 of Banke in western Nepal on Tuesday night.

The five juvenile inmates were killed and four were seriously injured when police opened fire during a clash that broke out when inmates tried to take over the weapons of security personnel of the correctional home, the Naubasta Juvenile Correctional Home office said.

Among the major prison escapees listed by the newspaper were the Banke Juvenile Reform Centre (122), the Banke District Prison (436), and Kathmandu Valley's Central Jail in Sundhara (3,300), Nakkhu Prison in Lalitpur (1,400) and Dillibazar Prison (1100).

Other facilities included Mahottari's Jaleshwar Prison (575), Jhumka Prison in Sunsari (1,575), Chitwan (700), Kapilvastu District Prison (459), Kailali Prison (612), Kanchanpur (478) and Sindhuli Prison (500), the news report added.

(PTI)

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has directed officials to ensure the safe return of tourists from the state stranded in Nepal in the wake of violent protests in the Himalayan nation, a government official said on Thursday.

Sai said his government has received information that some tourists from the state are currently in Nepal, according to a statement issued on Wednesday night.

“Their safety is our top priority, and instructions have been issued to concerned officials to take immediate measures to ensure their safe return,” he said.

Efforts are being made in coordination with the Centre for their safe return, Sai said.

“Our government is fully committed to assisting every citizen in this difficult time,” the CM added.

Nepal reeled under a serious political crisis on Tuesday as Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned in the face of massive protests, with the demonstrators storming many government buildings and setting the parliament as well as homes of several high-profile leaders ablaze, a day after 19 people died in violence.

The students-led “Gen Z” protests that began against a government ban on social media expanded into a larger campaign reflecting growing public criticism of the Oli dispensation and the country's political elite over alleged corruption and apathy towards the common people.

(PTI)

Police arrested six inmates who fled from Kailali District Prison following the protests in Nepal on Tuesday (Sep 9). The escaped prisoners were nabbed by the Area Police Office in Tikapur, The Kathmandu Post reported, citing officials.

According to the report, around 30 inmates have voluntarily surrendered, said Jailer Chiranjeevi Sapkota.

The death toll from the Gen Z protests in Kathmandu rose to 31, with preliminary identities of 25 deceased individuals confirmed, The Kathmandu Post reported, citing officials from the Department of Forensic Medicine at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.

“We have carried out a postmortem following international protocol, “ said Dr Gopal Kumar Chaudhary, head of the department. “We are asked to store the body; we cannot unveil details of the deceased.”

"We have been showing bodies to the family members of missing persons for identification,” said Chaudhary.

Over a dozen inmates were injured after the Nepali army troops opened fire to prevent a mass escape from Ramechhap District Prison, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Chief District Officer Shyam Krishna Thapa said that the prisoners had broken through several internal locks and were attempting to force open the main gate when security forces intervened with gunfire.

“Around 12 to 13 inmates were injured after the army opened fire as they reached the gate,” he said.

Nepal Army on Thursday extended prohibitory orders in three districts of Kathmandu Valley while allowing public movement during specific windows even as the Himalayan nation gradually returned to normal after violent demonstrations forced Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign.

Even as the troops continued to guard the streets, the situation remained mostly peaceful in the rest of the country except for two deaths and over a dozen injuries in Nepal army gunfire in a thwarted escape from a prison southeast of Kathmandu.

The curfew order imposed in three districts of Kathmandu valley -- Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur – was relieved from 6 am, a notice by Nepal Army said.

After allowing a few hours for movement to the general public to carry out essential works, the restrictive orders will be in place from 10 am till 5 pm, the notice issued by the army.

After a relaxation from 5 pm to 7 pm, night curfew will follow from 7 pm till 6 am on Friday, it added.

People were seen rushing to the markets, shops and groceries to buy essential goods as soon as the curfew was lifted. There were few vehicles on the roads which still bore marks of the violence that had erupted since Sunday and resulted in the resignation of prime minister Oli on Tuesday.

The curfew was imposed by the army since 5 pm on Wednesday to maintain law and order and the Nepalese troops on Wednesday patrolled the streets to restore order and to quell possible violence “under the guise of agitation.” The army, which took control of security from Tuesday night after incidents of arson and vandalism across the country, warned that any form of demonstrations, vandalism, arson, or attacks on individuals and property would be treated as criminal acts and dealt with accordingly.

The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu resumed services from Wednesday evening, 24 hours after closing its operations due to violent protests.

Meanwhile, two persons died and more than a dozen inmates were injured when army troops opened fire on Thursday morning to stop a mass breakout from Ramechhap District Prison, local media reports said.

As on Wednesday, at least five juvenile inmates died during a clash with security personnel at a jail in western Nepal, while more than 7,000 prisoners escaped from different jails across the country during the violent anti-government protests.

The death toll from the violent protests led by the 'Gen Z' group since Sunday evening had increased to 30, according to the Ministry of Health and Population.

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the ministry said 1,061 people were injured. It said 719 of the injured have been discharged, while 274 have been admitted to the hospital.

Sources said there has still been no decision taken about who among the former chief justice Sushila Karki, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah and former electricity board CEO Kulman Ghising would be finalised by the protesting Gen Z group to lead an interim government.

However, on Thursday morning, sources said, instead of Ghising, another name, Harka Sampang, mayor of Dharan Municipality, was being considered along with Karki and Shah.

(PTI)

Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, issued an appeal urging Nepalis to remain calm and patient as the country navigates through the political turmoil.

"My request to dear Gen-Z and all Nepalis: The country is currently in an unprecedented situation. You are now taking steps towards a golden future. Please do not panic at this time; be patient," he wrote in a post on X.

He further reassured citizens that the nation is moving toward the formation of an interim government, which he said will oversee new elections and provide the country with a fresh mandate.

"Now the country is going to get an interim government, which will hold new elections in the country. The job of this interim government is to hold elections and to give the country a new mandate. I fully support your proposal of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to lead this interim/electoral government. I would like to sincerely respect your understanding, wisdom, and unity. This shows how mature you are. What I want to say to my friends who are rushing to take over the leadership right now is that the country needs your passion, your thinking, your honesty permanently, not temporarily. There will be elections for that. Please don't rush. Honourable President, To protect the historic revolution brought about by Gen Z, an interim government should be formed and parliament dissolved without delay," he added in his post.

Large-scale turmoil and subsequent collapse of the government in neighbouring Nepal have put the Himalayan nation at the cusp of possibilities that could lead stakeholders in that country to find solutions beyond its existing Constitutional framework, quashing the current experiment of a federal republic to dust even before it properly took off, top Nepalese political analysts said.

The current Constitution of Nepal, all of 10 years old, was promulgated on September 20, 2015 establishing the country as a multi-party democracy, marking a shift from a constitutional monarchy to a federal republic.

Nepal reeled under a grave political crisis since Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and key cabinet ministers stepped down on Tuesday amid massive violence in Kathmandu and across the country, with protesters setting on fire the leader's private house and attacking the residences of former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, Foreign Minister Arzoo Rana Deuba and other former ministers.

Protests by youths, termed the Gen Z agitation, against a government ban on social media sites rocked Nepal on Monday, with police's use of force leaving at least 19 people dead and over 300 injured.

The agitations have since snowballed into defiance of orders, loot, arson, rampant vandalism and attack on government institutions at a scale unseen.

Despite the Army taking control over the country's administration as its only effective institution and clamping prohibitory orders, violence continues.

Ramesh Parajuli, editor and senior researcher with Nepal-based NGO Martin Chautari pointed towards the possibility of stakeholders opting for an "extra-constitutional solution" to the present crisis.

"At the moment, it is difficult to foresee the course Nepal would take," he said.

"The constitutional track has been derailed, and there is a tilt towards finding a solution from an extra-constitutional framework. The Parliament is no longer in operation and the PM or the President are no longer present in the administrative horizon to take the country out of its current quagmire," he added.

Parajuli cited three options which are before Nepal right now: solutions which are available within the Constitution, those which can be found by "slightly deviating from it" and the third, by doing away with the Constitution altogether.

"To me, the first option doesn't seem likely. Option two, and the more probable one, is to make a slight deviation from the existing framework and set up an interim government while preparing for fresh elections. The option of doing away with the Constitution entirely and finding solutions outside of it is also a possibility. I am not ready to discard because there are certain powerful forces acting in this country who are vying for this option," he said.

Asked which option he would prefer, Parajuli settled for the first.

"The Constitution is new, and governments are yet to complete two full terms. It's early to say whether the experiment worked or not. It needs to continue for more time," he stated.

Senior journalist and vice president of the Nepal chapter of South Asian Women in Media (SAWM), Namrata Sharma, questioned how, without a caretaker government in place, could an election be conducted.

"The Gen Z has insisted on proportional representation and structural changes. Without an interim government, the task cannot begin, and Nepal would continue to reel under uncertainty," she said.

Author and senior political analyst, CK Lal, said the government was likely to run on "auto-pilot mode" for the foreseeable future.

"This has happened before in Nepal in the aftermath of the Nepalese Royal massacre in June 2001," Lal said, referring to the killing of nine royal family members, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, in a mass shooting at the palace.

"But the worst possible scenario is of the army trying to run the country on its own without reverting to the democratic set-up. Any further continuation of this violent anarchy will provide the army with a watertight case of doing so," he warned.

Lal also questioned the Nepal army's move to exclude established political parties and calling only Gen Z representatives, besides some well-respected individuals, for a crucial meeting to resolve the impasse.

"No one knows who the true leaders of this organisation are. I have doubts whether such a meeting can yield a stable solution without elected political party representatives participating in it," he said.

Lok Raj Baral, former Ambassador of Nepal to India, said the idea to exclude political parties may have been aimed at finding a stopgap solution to diffusing the present anger among people.

"Given the existing organisational set up the political parties, I believe that excluding them for long would be difficult. What's more likely is that the parties would return to governance once the dust has settled," Baral, also a professor of political science, said.

Defending Gen Z's position to not engage in any dialogue with politicians, Sharma said the proposed meeting should ideally have taken place with the President instead of the army.

"The whole point of the Gen Z movement was to alert the authorities of the sustained tyranny and corruption these leaders have engaged in. They want fresh faces with a clean track record to lead this country," she said.

(PTI)

Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created a sand art on Wednesday at the Puri Beach, praying for peace in Nepal.

The Indian Embassy here has urged the Indian pilgrims who travelled to Mt. Kailash in Tibet through private operators via Nepal to exercise caution due to the prevailing situation in Kathmandu.

The prevailing situation in Nepal has impacted the planned travel arrangements of Indian citizens undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra organised by private tour operators via Nepal, an advisory posted by the Embassy on X on Wednesday said.

“In view of ongoing developments, Indian citizens presently in the Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China are advised to exercise due caution”, it said.

“Given the high altitude and challenging terrain, they are advised to take the necessary care and precautions for their health and well-being. They are also advised to follow advisories from local authorities as well as the Embassy of India in Beijing and Kathmandu,” it added.

In case any assistance is required, please call the Embassy of India, Beijing, on the following helpline numbers: i. 0086 185 1428 4905 (Calls only) ii. 0086 135 2065 7602 (WhatsApp call also), it said.

- PTI

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh have heightened security in districts along the India-Nepal border following violent protests and unrest in the neighbouring country.

Senior officials are conducting inspections and ensuring a state of high alert across border areas, with a focus on preventing any spillover of the unrest into Indian territory.

In Bahraich, the border remains sealed and the Integrated Check Post has become a temporary parking ground for over 225 oil tankers and trucks carrying goods worth lakhs.

With vehicular movement suspended, Nepali citizens are crossing the border on foot to reach their destinations.

Commissioner of Devipatan Division, Shashi Bhushan Lal Susheel, and Inspector General of Police (IG) Amit Pathak visited the Rupaidiha border to review the security on Wednesday.

Commissioner Susheel said, "The border has been inspected, and police forces along with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) are on full alert. Patrolling is being intensified." Pathak added that comprehensive police arrangements have been made based on intelligence inputs from Nepal.

- PTI

The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) has recalled 310 trucks and tankers carrying petrol, diesel, LPG and other goods to Nepal after unrest in the neighbouring country led to curfew in Nepalgunj city, officials here said on Wednesday.

They said 225 trucks remain parked at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Rupaidiha with goods worth several crores of rupees. These will be sent to Nepal once the situation normalises.

ICP in-charge Sudhir Sharma told PTI that LPAI chairman Jayant Singh directed the recall of all vehicles on Tuesday, soon after the situation was reported.

"With the help of police, SSB and Nepalese security forces, we managed to bring the vehicles back safely. Trucks carrying import consignments have been sent to their destinations in India," he said.

Sharma said all drivers and staff are safe. He added that a customs office near the Nepalgunj ICP was set ablaze by a mob on Wednesday, and the recall helped avoid any untoward incident involving fuel-laden vehicles.

- PTI

Indian airlines will resume normal services to Kathmandu from Thursday, with Air India and IndiGo will also be operating additional flights to bring back people stranded in the Nepalese capital amid the unrest in the neighbouring nation.

Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu reopened on Wednesday evening after it was shut for operations on Tuesday. Airlines cancelled their flights to Kathmandu on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said Air India and IndiGo will operate additional flights to Kathmandu to bring back people stranded there.

The minister also said airlines have been advised to keep their fares within reasonable levels.

Air India said it is operating special flights today and tomorrow from Delhi to Kathmandu and back to help passengers who have been stranded due to the recent developments in Nepal.

"Our scheduled operations will also resume from tomorrow. "We thank the government and other agencies for the quick coordination to facilitate this in the interest of our passengers," the airline said in a post on X.

- PTI

Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney on Wednesday re-shared on X a post embedded with a video in which a visibly distressed woman is "appealing to the Indian Embassy" seeking help, saying that she has been "stranded in Pokhara" in the wake of the violent protests in Nepal.

In the purported undated video, posted by an X handle @ukaabmedia in the early hours of September 10, the woman has claimed to be an Indian who is associated with hosting of a "volleyball league" in Nepal.

Sahney, while re-sharing the post, wrote on his X handle: "Please advise location and contact number of stranded persons @IndiaInNepal is kindly requested to extend immediate help for safe evacuation @MEAIndia".

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday evening responded to Sahney's post.

"We would like to inform that our Embassy in Nepal @IndiainNepal has reached out to the concerned person and provided necessary assistance. Emergency contact numbers for Indian citizens: 1. +977 – 980 8602881 2. +977 – 981032 6134," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

- PTI

Hours after more than 5,000 young people participated in a virtual meeting where Sushila Karki, the former Chief Justice of Nepal, was chosen as the country's top candidate for Interim Prime Minister.

Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, another potential candidate for the the post, announced his support for former chief justice and also urged President Ram Chandra Paudel to immediately form an interim government and dissolve the parliament.

Shah made his views public in a social media status update on Wednesday night. "I fully support the proposal that has come from you all for former chief justice Sushila Karki to lead this interim/electoral government. I want to express my heartfelt respect for your wisdom, prudence, and unity," he wrote. Read the Full report HERE

The death toll from the September 8 youth-led protests in Nepal climbed to 30, the Ministry of Health and Population confirmed on Wednesday evening, according to ANI.

In its update, the ministry reported that 1,033 people were injured nationwide during the unrest. Of those, 713 have already been discharged, 55 were referred to other facilities, while 253 remain hospitalised. The Civil Service Hospital in Kathmandu is treating the highest number of patients with 436 cases, followed by the National Trauma Centre with 161 and Everest Hospital with 109. In total, 28 hospitals across the country are handling protest-related injuries.

Authorities said emergency services were on high alert to cope with the influx of patients.

The September 8 demonstrations, led largely by Gen-Z students and young people, erupted in Kathmandu against the government’s social media ban and broader grievances such as corruption and lack of economic opportunities. The KP Sharma Oli-led administration defended the ban as a measure against misinformation, but rights groups criticised it as censorship.

At least 19 people were killed on the first day of protests, with the toll rising steadily in the days since. (ANI)

Born on June 7, 1952, in Biratnagar, Sushila Karki pursued studies in political science and law before launching a distinguished career in advocacy and legal reform. She completed her Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Mahendra Morang Campus, Biratnagar, in 1972, earned a master’s degree in political science from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in 1975, and obtained her law degree from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, in 1978.

Karki began her legal practice in Biratnagar in 1979 and worked as an assistant teacher at Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan, in 1985. She became a senior advocate in 2007. She was appointed an Ad-Hoc Justice at the Supreme Court on January 22, 2009, and became a permanent Justice on November 18, 2010. Karki served as acting Chief Justice from April 13 to July 10, 2016, and then as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from July 11, 2016, to June 7, 2017.

During her tenure, she presided over landmark cases on transitional justice and electoral disputes, reinforcing the judiciary’s role as a guardian of democracy. On April 30, 2017, an impeachment motion was submitted against her in Parliament by the Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress. The motion was later withdrawn following public pressure and an interim Supreme Court order barring Parliament from proceeding.

Karki married Durga Prasad Subedi, a prominent youth leader of the Nepali Congress, whom she met while studying in Banaras.

Anti-corruption protests in Nepal were sparked by a ban on 26 social media apps, before spiralling into a wider anti-corruption movement that ended up toppling the government after the mostly leaderless protests spilled over into Kathmandu’s streets.

Social media may have been the immediate trigger for the unrest, but in Nepal, apps such as Facebook and Whatsapp played an increasingly outsized role for multiple reasons. It gave people, especially youngsters, a platform to vent anger against the moribund economic prospects and the general lack of opportunities. More importantly, these were vital communication channels for the Nepalese people to keep in touch with family members increasingly working abroad, in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Malaysia, apart from India.

These were also a channel for routing some of the remittance money, a big source of Nepal’s national income. The collapse of the domestic economy, the bristling anger over corruption, unemployment, and the fact that a lot of Nepalese politicians had become really rich and their children were posting snapshots of their lavish lives on social media – all these reasons could have played a part. Young activists were picking these pictures and sharing them on social media, which led to these apps becoming even more relevant for young Nepalese. And finally, a rumour that the two largest parties are getting together to form a grand coalition because leaders of both the parties were under investigation for corruption by the previous government, stoked the simmering unrest. This also played out on social media. The ban was read as a signal to brush these under the carpet, triggering an uproar. Read more

After deadly violent protests, burnt-out vehicles and twisted metal littered the area around Parliament. During the protest, the army firefighters battled to douse a blaze in the main hall, while the building's exterior was charred after protesters set it ablaze. TV footage showed youths cleaning up some damaged buildings and clearing debris from roads and parliament premises.

"I have been informed by the (parliament) security chief that the fire has destroyed the entire infrastructure. Nothing is left," Ekram Giri, spokesperson for the lower house of parliament, told Reuters from his home in Kathmandu.

Several other government buildings, from the supreme court to ministers' homes, including Oli's private residence, were also set ablaze in the protests, with the unrest subsiding only after the resignation.

Armoured vehicles kept vigil in streets that were largely deserted, with shops and markets shut. Firefighters were engaged at different locations, while the process of clearing roads was also under way, army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said.

Nepal's 'Gen Z' protesters want former chief justice Sushila Karki as the interim prime minister, the secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association who was consulted by the protesters, told Reuters on Wednesday

A day after being shut following deadly anti-corruption protests, Nepal's Kathmandu airport has opened, a spokesperson was quoted as saying by Reuters.

In an appeal on X, the army said prohibitory orders would remain in force until Thursday morning, adding that relevant parties were coordinating to tackle the situation after the protests and resolve the issue.