Nepal's interim govt has no authority to reform governance system: PM Karki
'I appeal to the youth and all citizens who support transformation to participate in the elections and pursue changes through constitutional means,' says Sushila Karki.
Nepal's Prime Minister Sushila Karki has made it clear that her six-month interim administration does not have the mandate to alter the country's governance system, despite growing calls from a section of Gen Z protesters for a directly elected executive head.
Karki noted yesterday (25 September) that such a change requires a constitutional amendment, reports The Kathmandu Post.
"... I appeal to the youth and all citizens who support transformation to participate in the elections and pursue changes through constitutional means," Karki added.
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In her first address to the nation, Karki repeatedly stressed that her government's foremost responsibility is to hold the election scheduled for 5 March 2026 on time.
Nepal currently follows a parliamentary system where the prime minister is chosen from among the members of the House of Representatives. To introduce a directly elected executive head, the Constitution must be amended, an action that requires a two-thirds majority in the federal parliament.
Constitutional experts and civil society groups have cautioned against attempting to revise the statute through an "illegitimate" process.
Gen Z demands and reactions
The Gen Z uprising has put forward a range of demands, but their stance on governance reform remains divided. Some want constitutional changes before the election, while others argue that only the new parliament should make decisions regarding the matter.
"The prime minister has rightly said that this government cannot and should not be involved in revising the governance system. The new parliament will make the changes if necessary," said Gen Z leader Rakshya Bam.
Another youth leader, Yujan Rajbhandari, warned: "Trying to alter the constitution at this point will open Pandora's box. It will give room for various interest groups to play and could lead the country to further conflict."
Protests, casualties and probe
Karki also vowed to ensure justice for those killed during the protests.
On September 8, the first day of the Gen Z movement, 19 young demonstrators were shot dead.
The toll later climbed to 74, with many others still hospitalised.
The government has already formed a high-level panel, led by a former Special Court chief, to investigate both the killings and the damage caused to public and private property.
Election preparations
The prime minister said preparations for the election are underway.
"The Government of Nepal is in discussion with the Election Commission on the possibility of allowing Nepali citizens living abroad for employment purposes to cast their votes from overseas," Karki added.
Acknowledging that a government whose tenure is capped at six months to hold polls cannot meet all demands of the Gen Z movement, Karki said her administration will make sincere efforts to do as much as it can.
She emphasised that the demands made by Gen Z must be addressed within the current constitutional framework of a federal democratic republic.
Demonstrations, which began in early September as a Gen Z-led movement against widespread corruption and a lack of jobs, escalated into the Himalayan nation's deadliest violence in decades that forced then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli to quit.
More than 2,100 people were injured while protesters set fire to the main office complex that houses the prime minister's office, the Supreme Court and the parliament building, as well as malls, luxury hotels and showrooms that the demonstrators said were owned by people close to corrupt politicians.
Nepal's President Ram Chandra Poudel later named former Supreme Court chief justice Karki as the country's interim prime minister, marking the first time a woman has led the nation's government.
