Expedite Preparations for Free and Fair Elections

In Nepal’s political history, a change of government following a popular movement has almost become a routine emergency. Yet the Gen Z protests of September 8 and 9 were unlike anything the nation had witnessed before. From school and college students to young professionals, crowds poured into the streets, denouncing corruption, opaque governance and the failures of an ageing political generation. The scale of sacrifice was immense—74 lives lost, hundreds injured, and widespread destruction of property. Out of this upheaval, the KP Oli-led government fell, and former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was entrusted with leading an interim government. This government carries a singular and historic mandate: to hold free and fair elections within six months. The clock is already ticking, with only 164 days left until the March 5, 2026 deadline. Nearly two weeks after her appointment, Prime Minister Karki has now given her cabinet almost a full shape, with just three more portfolios pending if she sticks with her plan to have an 11-member cabinet. The time for hesitation is over. The priority must now shift decisively to election preparations.