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President Ram Chandra Paudel has dissolved the House of Representatives, the lower House of the federal parliament, upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki. It is effective from 11 pm Friday. 

According to a press release issued by the Office of the President,  the next election to the HoR will be held on March 5, 2026.

President Ram Chandra Poudel on Friday administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed Prime Minister Sushila Karki, who will serve as interim head of government with the primary responsibility of holding national elections within the next six months.

Karki has made history as the country’s first female prime minister, breaking her own earlier record from 2016 when she became Nepal’s first female chief justice.

Earlier, President Poudel appointed her under Article 61 of the Constitution, which states that it is the president’s duty and responsibility “to adhere to and protect the Constitution.” However, Karki’s appointment is likely to be challenged in the Supreme Court, as Article 61 does not grant the president the authority to appoint a prime minister.

According to current constitutional provisions, the prime minister must be a member of the House of Representatives and nominated under Article 76. Top leaders of the major political parties, except former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai, boycotted the oath-taking ceremony. 

Even KP Sharma Oli, who resigned following the killing of 19 Gen-Z protesters, did not attend the swearing-in ceremony, breaking the tradition of an outgoing prime minister formally handing over power to the incoming one. The ceremony was attended by ambassadors from various countries, including the US and China, along with government officials, security chiefs, and Gen-Z representatives.

The violent protests of Sept 8 and 9 left at least 51 people dead and more than 400 injured, with the toll expected to rise as police continue to recover bodies from burned private homes and commercial buildings. In line with the demands of Gen-Z protesters, Nepal’s 275-member House of Representatives is expected to be dissolved once election dates are announced.

Karki’s foremost challenge will be winning the confidence of major political parties such as the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center), which together command a two-thirds majority in parliament. These parties have already opposed the possible dissolution of parliament and the announcement of new elections, arguing that parliament should not be dissolved without a clear guarantee of elections.

Soon after Karki took the oath, the Maoist Center issued a statement opposing preparations to dissolve parliament, becoming the first party to formally reject her move. Similarly, UML General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel has also spoken out against it. Other major parties that remained silent in the immediate aftermath of the protests may gradually unite to push their own agenda.

In 2013, the interim government led by then–chief justice Khil Raj Regmi successfully held the second Constituent Assembly elections, largely due to strong backing from major political parties. This time, however, Karki is unlikely to receive such support. She faces double pressure: from Gen-Z protesters demanding action against political parties in the name of fighting corruption, and from established political forces at both the central and local levels who may resist cooperating with her government.

At the same time, Gen-Z and other political groups are pressing for constitutional amendments—or even the scrapping of the charter—an agenda that the major parties strongly oppose. If Karki fails to hold elections within six months, she will come under pressure to step down.

Another major challenge will be reviving Nepal’s already troubled economy, which has been severely hit by the protests. She will also face domestic and international pressure to address serious human rights violations committed during the unrest. Another key responsibility will be tackling corruption, including investigations into past scandals, which remains a central demand of the youth. With reports of rights violations by both police and protesters, public pressure is likely to mount for impartial investigations and prosecutions.

On the economic front, Karki must restore security and confidence in the private sector. Attacks on industries and businesses have sent negative signals about Nepal’s investment climate and further threatened the tourism industry. The lack of jobs and political stability could push even more young Nepalis to seek employment abroad.

Externally, Karki faces the task of convincing the international community that Nepal is safe for investment, while securing support for reconstruction and elections. Like every government before hers, she will have to carefully manage relations with the three major powers most influential in Nepal—India, China, and the United States.

Photo: Photo Library

Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been sworn in as the Prime Minister of the interim government of Nepal.

President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy amidst a function at Sheetal Niwas.

After Gen Z's demand and all-party consultation, President Paudel appointed Kaski as the head of the government in accordance with Article 61 of the Constitution.

Karki is the first lady Prime Minister of Nepal.

She was ready to become the Prime Minister after an agreement was reached to dissolve the Parliament.

Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal's interim government after days of anti-corruption protests that claimed 51 lives and forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign and flee his official residence in Baluwatar.

With this appointment, she has made history by becoming the first female Prime Minister of the Himalayan nation.

In line with Article 61 (4) of the Constitution, President Ram Chandra Paudel appointed Karki as the head of the interim government in consultation with the Nepal Army Chief and representatives of Gen Z who spearheaded the protests.

Article 61 (4) of the Constitution states that it shall be the primary duty of the President to uphold and protect the Constitution.

She expressed her readiness to become the Prime Minister after an agreement was reached to dissolve the Parliament.

Meanwhile, President Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy amidst a function in Sheetal Niwas.

After the swearing in ceremony, he also congratulated the newly appointed Prime Minister.

While congratulating her, President Paudel said, "May the country succeed and may the people prosper,"

Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut, ambassadors of various countries, and high-ranking government officials were present in the program.

However, leaders of the parties representing in the Parliament did not take part in the oath-taking ceremoney, expressing dissatisfaction over the formation of the interim government.

Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai was present on the occasion.

Similarly, representatives of Gen Z who were present at the swearing-in ceremony exchanged greetings and congratulated the newly appointed Prime Minister Karki.

Shortly after the swearing in ceremony, Paudel dissolved the House of Representatives, the lower House of the Federal Parliament, upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the President, the next election of the Parliament will be held on March 5, 2026.

The Prime Minister is currently staying at her private residence due to damage caused by protesters at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar.

Nepal, which had practiced a bicameral system of legislature after the restoration of democracy in 1991, has witnessed several dissolutions of Parliament in the past.

KP Sharma Oli had dissolved the House of Representatives twice, first on December 20, 2020 and second on May 21, 2021. The Supreme Court overturned both the dissolutions.

The House of Representatives was dissolved for the first time in the country's parliamentary history on July 10, 1994.

Girija Prasad Koirala, the Prime Minister of the first elected government, dissolved Parliament after failing to endorse the policies and programs.

Writ petitions were filed in the Supreme Court against the dissolution. But all the writs were dismissed and the country went for mid-term elections.

Manmohan Adhikari, who became Prime Minister from the mid-term election, dissolved the House of Representatives on June 9, 1995.

The then Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa on January 8, 1998 and Girija Prasad Koirala in 1998 had attempted to dissolve the Parliament but to no avail.

The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had also dissolved the House of Representatives on September 24, 2002. The Supreme Court also upheld it, but it failed to hold the election on time.

Who is Sushila Karki?

Known as Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice, Sushila Karki is admired for her clarity of thought, firm stance, and integrity during her tenure in the judiciary.

Born on June 7, 1952 at Shankharpur-3 of Biratnagar, Morang, Karki completed her Bachelor’s Degree from the Mahendra Morang College, Biratnagar and went to Banaras Hindu University in 1975 to earn a Master’s degree in Political Science. After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Law from the Tribhuvan University, she entered the legal profession as an advocate on March 29, 1979.

Karki spent three years teaching at the Mahendra Multiple Campus, Morang from 1985. She took the leadership of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) Koshi Zone for three years from 1988, and later as the head of the NBA at the Biratnagar Appellate Court.

She received the title of senior advocate on December 20, 2004, and was appointed as a temporary judge of the Supreme Court on January 22, 2009. She became a permanent judge of the Supreme Court on November 18, 2010.

Karki served as the Chief Justice of Nepal from July 11, 2016, to June 6, 2017.

In April 2017, some lawmakers had attempted to impeach Karki accusing her of breaching Constution and failing to bear her duties,  but the effort failed.