General elections set for March 2026 in Nepal

KATHMANDU: Nepal‘s President Ram Chandra Poudel has dissolved parliament and announced general elections for March 5, 2026.

A statement issued by the president’s office said that the House of Representatives has been dissolved and a date for new elections has been set.

Meanwhile, President Poudel appointed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the country’s first female interim prime minister.

Her appointment came after two days of talks attended by the president, army chief Ashok Raj Singh and protest leaders.

The nationwide protests erupted when the government banned social media, but the situation calmed down only after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned.

According to the Nepal police, 51 people have been killed and more than 1,700 injured in the recent clashes.

India also reacted to Nepal’s latest political developments, expressing hope that these steps will promote peace and stability.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sushila Karki and said that India is committed to the development and prosperity of the Nepali people.

Nepal Interim Prime Minister

Nepal’s former chief justice, Sushila Karki, is likely to be appointed as interim prime minister, a source aware of the talks told Reuters on Friday, after intense anti-graft protests led to the resignation of K.P. Sharma Oli.

The Himalayan nation’s worst upheaval in years, which killed 51 people this week and injured more than 1,300 as police fought to control crowds, was sparked by a social media ban, now rolled back. The violence subsided only after Oli resigned.

“Sushila Karki will be appointed interim prime minister,” said a constitutional expert consulted by President Ramchandra Paudel and army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, who sought anonymity as the negotiations are sensitive.

“They (Gen Z) want her. This will happen today,” the source added, referring to the ‘Gen Z’ protesters whose popular name derives from the age of most participants.

Nepal’s first and only female chief justice, Karki, 73, is known for her honesty, integrity, and stand against corruption.

Her appointment is likely to be formally made after a meeting at Paudel’s residence, rescheduled to Friday afternoon from an initial time in the morning, according to a Gen Z source involved in the talks.

The president’s office and the army spokesperson did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the matter.