Nepal is in chaos as Gen-Z protests engulf the country, destroy Supreme Court records, and former Chief Justice Sushila Karki is appointed interim leader amid nationwide unrest and political turmoil.
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NREPAL: Nepal is witnessing an unprecedented wave of civil unrest as violent protests led by Gen-Z demonstrators escalate across the country. The recent turmoil has left the Supreme Court building in ruins, government offices torched, and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigning amid widespread public outrage.
The youth-led protests, driven by frustration over unemployment, corruption, and political stagnation, erupted into nationwide chaos. Over the past week, violent demonstrators set fire to the Supreme Court, parliament, and government buildings, forcing former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.
While the immediate trigger was a government-imposed social media ban, analysts and protesters alike emphasize that the unrest reflects deeper structural grievances in Nepal’s governance and economy.
Supreme Court Reduced to Ashes
On Tuesday afternoon, protesters stormed the Supreme Court while lawyers and staff were still inside. Eyewitnesses report that documents and case files were piled together and set ablaze, destroying decades of judicial records.
- All three floors burned, including the Chief Justice’s office, meeting rooms, and the data center for digital records.
- Supreme Court Annex, housing judgment archives, was also destroyed.
- The Shree Yantra, a sacred symbol of justice, was reduced to rubble.
“We are supposed to decide cases by looking at documents and evidence, but nothing remains of them now. These records were decades of hard work. Everything has been destroyed,”
said a Supreme Court judge.
Despite some digital backups, the destruction of servers has paralyzed judicial operations, rendering case management and hearings impossible. Officials are exploring ways to symbolically reopen the court, even as they begin the mammoth task of reconstructing lost records.
The Attorney General’s Office was also attacked in the same manner, with documents collected and set on fire, further crippling Nepal’s legal system.
Youth-Led Anger: Why Nepal’s Gen-Z Reached a Breaking Point
Nepal’s youth, digitally connected but economically constrained, have grown increasingly disillusioned with a ruling class they perceive as out of touch and corrupt.
Economic Woes:
- According to the World Bank, 82% of Nepal’s workforce is in informal employment, far above global averages.
- Remittances, vital to Nepal’s economy, equal one-third of GDP, but have not translated into quality domestic employment.
- Each year, 500,000 young Nepalis enter the workforce, creating urgent pressure for meaningful job creation.
- Real GDP growth picked up slightly to 4.9% in H1 2025, driven by agriculture and industry, yet many young people remain unemployed or underemployed.
“Nepal’s reliance on remittances…has not translated into quality jobs at home, reinforcing a cycle of lost opportunities,”
said Johannes Zutt, World Bank VP for South Asia.
Corruption and Nepotism:
- Nepal ranks 107 out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s corruption index.
- Viral social media videos show ordinary Nepalis struggling, while political elites flaunt wealth and luxury.
- Youth protesters are increasingly critical of leaders who have held power for decades, fueling anger over entrenched governance failures.
Threats to Rights and Freedoms:
- The social media ban sparked the protests, symbolizing a larger fear of loss of democratic freedoms.
- Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission criticized the ban as undermining “the spirit of democratic governance.”
- Youth activists emphasized that social media is vital for expression, connection, and information, with its suppression igniting a powder keg of frustration.
“They were already fed up with the country’s woeful health and education systems, rampant corruption, and nepotism—many saw no future in the country,”
reported the Kathmandu Post, whose offices were also torched during protests.
Oli Resigns, Karki Named Interim Leader
Amid the unrest, 73-year-old PM KP Sharma Oli resigned, acknowledging the untenable situation:
“In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution.”
Despite his resignation, protests continued, with parliament and other political offices torched. In a historic turn, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed as the interim leader by Gen-Z protest members, signaling a new, youth-driven approach to governance.
Nationwide Curfew
In response to widespread violence, the Nepal Army imposed a nationwide curfew from 5 PM Wednesday to 6 AM Thursday. The Army cited ongoing threats from protesters, including vandalism, arson, and violent attacks on civilians.
“In the name of movement, lawless individuals and groups are infiltrating and committing acts such as vandalism and arson…considering the overall security situation, the curfew will continue,”
the Army said.
Essential service vehicles, including ambulances, fire engines, and health personnel, are allowed to operate with coordination from security forces.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai on the Nepal Turmoil
During the case hearing, the Supreme Court of India underscored the resilience and stability of the Indian Constitution by drawing attention to the ongoing turmoil in neighboring countries, Nepal and Bangladesh.
On Wednesday, a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai and Justice Vikram Nath referred to the violent protests that have engulfed Nepal and the student-led agitation to emphasize how India’s constitutional framework has safeguarded the nation from such widespread chaos.
“We are proud of our constitution, see what is happening in neighbouring countries,”
CJI Gavai remarked, pointing to the anti-corruption agitation in Nepal that has left at least 22 people dead.
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