President Ram Chandra Paudel is preparing to appoint former chief justice Sushila Karki as prime minister (PM) on Friday. According to a source at Shital Niwas , preparations are also underway for Karki's swearing-in ceremony to be held Friday itself.
President Paudel held discussions and consultations all day and late into Thursday night regarding the appointment of Karki as PM. He held separate meetings with major political party leaders and constitutional experts on Thursday.
According to high-level political sources, President Paudel and Chief of the Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel jointly held discussion with outgoing PM KP Sharma Oli. They informed Oli that they were going to make Sushila Karki the head of interim government.
Oli asked, "Is this being done through a constitutional path? Did you consult others?"
President Paudel replied, "We are seeking a constitutional path, and we have already talked to everyone."
The source said that Oli then responded, "In that case, it's fine."
Similarly, President Paudel also consulted with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is currently hospitalized, via a phone call. Deuba said, "Do it according to the Constitution; you have my consent."
President Paudel summoned former PM and Chairman of CPN (Maoist Center) Pushpa Kamal Dahal and former PM and Chairman of CPN (Unified Socialist) Madhav Kumar Nepal to Shital Niwas to consult with them on Karki's appointment.
He also met with NC Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka and Deputy General Secretary of Maoist Center Barshaman Pun at Shital Niwas.
President Paudel informed the leaders, "There is pressure to appoint a PM today no matter what; this pressure is unbearable, and the appointment must be made today." Following this, he began phone calls and meetings to hold discussions with them.
He also consulted with constitutional experts at Shital Niwas from 4 pm Thursday afternoon. He called constitutional experts Purnaman Shakya, Bhimarjun Acharya, Bipin Adhikari, Chandrakant Gyawali, and Lalit Basnet to the palace.
The constitutional experts suggested that a path to appointment should be sought within the Parliament and the Constitution. However, the President said that this was not possible due to the current political situation.
The President stated that the outgoing PM Oli would have to table a proposal for a constitutional amendment in the Parliament, and that path was not possible at the moment due to security reasons. He told the constitutional experts that it was not possible to convene Parliament and bring former chief justice Karki into Parliament to make her PM through a constitutional path due to political and security reasons.
On the other hand, the President also said that there was tremendous pressure from the Gen Z group for a PM to be appointed soon.
After the President said that it was not possible to convene Parliament or for the outgoing PM to table a proposal for security reasons and due to a lack of time, the constitutional experts suggested that in such a crisis, a path has been forged before. They said that since the President is the protector and enforcer of the Constitution, a PM can be appointed on that basis.
According to a constitutional expert who participated in the discussion, in such a situation, the article under which the PM is appointed will not be mentioned. The President will appoint the PM as the enforcer and protector of the Constitution.
"Article 61(4) of the Constitution states that the main duty of the President shall be to abide by and protect this Constitution. We have suggested that the appointment be made by writing a phrase like, 'The PM has been appointed as the enforcer and protector of the Constitution'," the constitutional expert said.
There was also a discussion about whether to appoint Sushila Karki as the chairperson of the Interim Council of Ministers, like Khilraj Regmi was appointed previously. There was a discussion about whether to call her the chairperson of the Interim Council of Ministers formed to conduct elections or the PM.
"But many suggested that she should be called the PM since that is a constitutional post, and the President also agreed to that. So, the appointment will likely be made as the PM," another constitutional expert who attended the discussion said.
He said that there was also a general discussion about the duties, responsibilities, and rights of the PM so appointed.
"The main responsibilities of the PM appointed in this way will be to conduct elections and to investigate the suppression of the recent movement, the deaths of youths during that period, and the subsequent destruction. These have been identified as the two main tasks. It is not known how this will be mentioned," the constitutional expert said.
He said that the appointed PM would recommend the dissolution of Parliament and the date of the election.
Karki, the PM proposed by the Gen Z group, also met and held discussions with President Paudel and General Sigdel on Thursday. The discussion between the three continued at Shital Niwas until midnight.
A source said that Karki refused to meet or hold discussions with any political party leaders other than the President.
