Kathmandu: The appointment of Karki, who earlier served as Nepal’s first woman chief justice from 2016 to 2017, comes after three days of nationwide protests triggered by a ban on social media platforms and widespread anger over corruption. Demonstrators had rallied for a caretaker government, eventually uniting around Karki’s name as a leader known for her firm stand against corruption.

Sources confirmed that Karki will head a small caretaker cabinet, which is expected to recommend the dissolution of the federal parliament and all seven provincial assemblies. The new government will oversee the country until fresh elections are held. The first meeting of her cabinet is scheduled for Friday night.

The decision followed intense negotiations involving the protesters, President Paudel, and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel. Karki’s selection came after other potential names were floated, including engineer Kulman Ghising, credited with ending Nepal’s power crisis, and Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, a rapper-turned-politician popular among youth, who ultimately endorsed Karki for the post.