Nepal’s Top Court Blocks Envoy Recall in Setback for Interim PM Sushila Karki

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Supreme Court has stayed the government’s decision to recall 11 ambassadors, dealing a setback to interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki and her newly formed administration.

The envoys — posted to key countries including China, the United States, Britain, and Japan — had been appointed by former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. Karki’s government announced their recall last month, citing dissatisfaction with their performance.

However, lawyer Ananta Raj Luitel, who filed the legal challenge, told Reuters that the government “could not justify its charges against the ambassadors in court.” As a result, all recalled envoys will continue to serve in their current roles until further notice.

Communications Minister Jagdish Kharel said the government would “respect the order of the Supreme Court,” signaling compliance with the ruling.

Karki, a former chief justice and Nepal’s first woman prime minister, took office in September after weeks of violent anti-corruption protests that left 76 people dead and over 1,300 injured. The unrest, driven largely by the youth-led Gen Z movement, forced the previous government’s resignation.

Tasked with organizing fresh parliamentary elections by March 5, Karki has formed a small cabinet of reform-minded ministers known for their anti-corruption credentials.

Political analyst Puranjan Acharya described the court’s ruling as “a setback for Karki,” noting that she had acted “under pressure from the Gen Z protesters” despite knowing it would be difficult to defend the move legally. “In the long run,” he added, “this will help her resist more pressure.”

Karki now faces renewed calls from protesters to dismiss other officials, including the head of the anti-corruption commission, another appointee of the previous Oli administration.