Sushila Karki From Nepal’s First Female Chief Justice to Interim Prime Minister 2025
Sushila Karki ‘s life story is an extraordinary trip through fearlessness, self-control, and serving the public. She is recognized as the first woman to hold the position of Chief Justice of Nepal, thereby managing the judiciary from July 2016 to June 2017, and later, in 2025, as the Interim Prime Minister, a raremove from the judicial to the executive branch.
Her career is marked by her tenacious fight for justice, her inflexible decisions against corruption, and her excellent leadership during the crisis of the nation. She has attracted thousands, especially the young female generation, by traveling from a small town in the east of Nepal to become one of the most important characters in the country’s democratic history, a woman who has demonstrated honesty and the moral code of the path.
Early Life and Education of Sushila Karki
Sushila Karki came into this world on the 7th of June, 1952, in Biratnagar, Morang. While being raised in a time when it was not typical for women to go to college, she did not stop her way to the top but went on to achieve even higher educational qualifications.
She first earned a B.A degree from Mahendra Morang Campus and then went on to obtain LLB from the same college.
She later went on to get a Master’s in Political Science from Tribhuvan University. She had the advantage of having both law and politics in her kitty, which she used throughout her life.
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Rise to the Supreme Court
She was a lawyer by profession for several years, during which she made her name as a defender without fear.
Actually, she was widely known for her dedication to both justice and constitutional law. This subsequently resulted in her appointment as a judge of the Appellate Court in 1995.
She was very clear and consistent in her decisions during her time as a judge.
Eventually, in 2009, she was promoted to the position of the Supreme Court Justice of Nepal, where she had a major influence on the development of constitutional law, the eradication of corruption, and the safeguarding of human rights.
Tenure as Nepal’s First Female Chief Justice
On July 11, 2016, she was inaugurated as the first female Chief Justice of Nepal. It was a historic moment for the judiciary and the country’s women’s rights movement.
As Chief Justice, she was a strong advocate for the rule of law. She was at the helm of several high-profile corruption cases, governance-related decisions, and constitutional disputes that contributed to the verification of the rights of the marginalized. People who desired a judiciary free from the influence of politics, applauded her term of office, deeply respected it.
Impeachment Attempt and Controversy of Sushila Karki
In April 2017, the filing of an impeachment motion by lawmakers against Lok Priya Karki that alleged her to have meddled in the appointment of Nepal’s Inspector General of Police was one of the most dramatic events in her career. This decision led to a constitutional crisis and a large debate about the independence of the judiciary. An outcry was staged all over the nation in Karki’s favor.Â
The voices of civil society groups, lawyers, and common people were heard saying that the impeachment was motivated by politics. As a result, the motion was withdrawn, a very important point in the history of the judiciary and a reaffirmation of her profile as the brave protector of the law.
Sushila Karki Role as Interim Prime Minister in 2025
About the middle of 2025, Nepal found itself tangled in a political stalemate of major scale. Besides mass riots screaming for a thorough clean-up, old party leaders’ words had little sway over a public whose trust had reached a historic low. To lead the country back to the road of tranquility, Sushila Karki was named the Interim Prime Minister.
Many felt that her selection was a free, non-party option that could bring back the loyalty of governance.
In her stand as the Interim Prime Minister, she put first a transparent and accountable atmosphere for the upcoming general elections of the country.
Sushila Karki worked hard, alongside the energy to ensure a fair and just election process, to tear apart the corrupt networks in the public offices, and to promote reforms that would empower women, young people, and the traditionally disadvantaged, politically.
Those who were part of her administration also put in effort to institutionalize the law and order that had been established, yet, there was no repression of free speech. A balance was struck between stability and democratic freedom.
Her leadership as Interim Prime Minister is reckoned as one of the few non-violent transitional governments in Nepal history, which went on to mark a milestone for future non-partisan leadership in times of crisis.
