Nepal Supreme Court Blocks PM Karki's Ambassador Recall in Major Setback for Interim Government

Political analyst Puranjan Acharya described the court order as a "setback" for Nepal's Prime Minister Karki.

Kathmandu:

Nepal's Supreme Court has issued an order halting the recall of nearly a dozen ambassadors, according to a lawyer's statement on Monday, representing a significant setback for Prime Minister Sushila Karki and her interim administration.

Karki, who previously served as chief justice and made history as Nepal's first female leader when appointed in September following deadly anti-corruption demonstrations, had recalled 11 ambassadors from major countries including China, the United States, Britain, and Japan. These envoys had been appointed by her predecessor, K.P. Sharma Oli.

The government had justified the recall by citing dissatisfaction with the ambassadors' performance.

"The government failed to provide adequate justification for its allegations against the ambassadors during court proceedings," explained Ananta Raj Luitel, an independent lawyer who challenged Karki's decision, in comments to Reuters.

Luitel confirmed that all ambassadors would maintain their positions and continue their diplomatic duties as before.

Jagdish Kharel, the minister for communications and information technology, stated that the government would "respect the order of the Supreme Court."

Karki, 73, has been tasked with organizing fresh elections for the lower house of parliament by March 5 and has assembled a small cabinet comprising reform-oriented officials with strong anti-corruption credentials.

The September protests led by the Gen Z movement, named for the younger generation that forms its core support base, resulted in 76 fatalities and over 1,300 injuries.

Political analyst Puranjan Acharya characterized the court order as a "setback" for Karki.

"She recalled the ambassadors under pressure from the Gen Z activists, fully aware that the government would struggle to defend this action in court," Acharya observed.

"However, in the long term, this will strengthen her ability to resist additional pressure," he added.

Karki continues to face pressure from Gen Z protesters demanding the dismissal of other officials, including the head of the anti-corruption agency who was also appointed during Oli's tenure.