Nepal's next parliamentary election scheduled for March 5
text_fields
Protesters atop Singha Durbar in Nepal celebrating after the government building was set on fire during Gen-Z protests on Sept. 9, 2025. (Photo:PTI)
Kathmandu: Nepal’s next parliamentary elections are set to be held on March 5, President Ramchandra Paudel’s office announced on Friday, following a week of violent protests that led to the resignation of former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and the swearing-in of Sushila Karki as the country’s first woman prime minister.
President Paudel, acting on the recommendation of the newly appointed prime minister, dissolved the House of Representatives and confirmed that elections will take place on March 5.
Former Chief Justice Karki, 73, was sworn in as Nepal’s first woman prime minister, ending days of political uncertainty after Oli’s abrupt resignation. Oli stepped down on Tuesday following widespread anti-government protests against a social media ban and alleged corruption, which saw hundreds of demonstrators storm his office, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 people in police action on Monday.
Karki is expected to form a small Cabinet on Sunday, two days after her swearing-in, as government offices remain closed on Saturday. She will initially hold around two dozen ministries, including Home, Foreign Affairs, and Defence. Sources at the President’s Office confirmed that the prime minister’s council of ministers will include a limited number of ministers when it assumes office on Sunday.
During the protests, the Prime Minister’s Office at Singhdurbar Secretariat was set on fire. Authorities are now preparing a newly constructed building for the Home Ministry within the Singhdurbar complex to house the Prime Minister’s Office. Clean-up operations are underway to remove ashes and debris from the area.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Karki visited the Civil Hospital in Kathmandu’s Baneshwor area, where dozens of people injured in the protests are receiving treatment.
Nepal’s major political parties and the apex lawyers’ body have strongly criticised the president’s decision to dissolve Parliament, calling it “unconstitutional,” “arbitrary,” and a serious blow to democracy. The chief whips of the dissolved House of Representatives have also issued a joint statement opposing the move.
According to Nepal police, at least 51 people, including an Indian national, lost their lives during the ‘Gen Z’-led protests earlier this week.
With PTI inputs