KATHMANDU, Nepal. President Ramchandra Paudel has dissolved parliament and scheduled fresh elections for March 5, following a week of violent unrest that left dozens dead and culminated in the appointment of the country’s first woman prime minister.
Paudel’s office issued the announcement late Friday, just hours after he named former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to head the interim government. Her appointment came after “Gen Z”-led anti-corruption protests forced former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.
The president confirmed that he had “dissolved the House of Representatives” and fixed the election date. Karki’s rise to office followed two days of negotiations involving Paudel, army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and protest leaders. The violence was described as Nepal’s worst upheaval in years, with at least 51 people killed and more than 1,300 injured.
India, Nepal’s southern neighbor, welcomed the developments. “Heartfelt congratulations to the Honorable Sushila Karki Ji on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Nepal’s interim government. India is fully committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nepal’s brothers and sisters,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.
Nepal, a nation of 30 million situated between China and India, has faced recurring political and economic instability since abolishing its monarchy in 2008. Millions of young Nepalis continue to leave the country for work in the Middle East, South Korea, and Malaysia.
By Saturday, calm was returning to the capital, Kathmandu, with shops reopening and vehicles back on the streets after restrictions imposed earlier in the week were lifted.
Relatives of those killed during the protests gathered outside the Prime Minister’s official residence, demanding that their loved ones be declared martyrs — a recognition that grants state honors and compensation. Some families refused to claim bodies from the morgue until their demands were met.
“My brother should be declared a martyr as he died for the country, and the government should give compensation to my parents,” said Sumitra Mahat, sister of 21-year-old Umesh Mahat, one of the protesters killed. She and other relatives held banners displaying the photos of those who died, most of whom were reportedly shot.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
