Young demonstrators in Nepal support the former chief justice as acting leader.

Two days after the prime minister was forced to resign due to fatal protests, Nepal’s “Gen Z” demonstrators on Thursday called for the dissolution of parliament and supported the appointment of the country’s first female chief justice to temporarily rule the turbulent country.
The 73-year-old Sushila Karki, the first female chief justice of Nepal in 2016, has now retired and has been the front-runner to take over as interim leader of the poor Himalayan nation that is sandwiched between China and India. Ojaswi Raj Thapa, a protester spokesman, informed reporters that the people in charge of the demonstrations had suggested her name to the president and army.

“We will dissolve the parliament. We are not trying to dissolve the constitution,” Thapa said. “We may need some changes to the constitution but we don’t want to dissolve the constitution.”

K.P. Sharma Oli resigned as prime minister on Tuesday, a day after 19 demonstrators were killed in violence, as the rallies, known as the “Gen Z” riots since the majority of participants were in their teens or early 20s, caused Nepal’s biggest upheaval in years. Since then, 34 people have died and another 1,300 have been injured, according to Nepal’s health ministry.

Shops, schools, and institutions remained closed on Thursday, as soldiers continued to monitor Kathmandu’s peaceful streets. The city’s vital services have started up again.
According to a source familiar with the situation who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, Karki has consented to serve as interim head, but attempts were underway to find a constitutional way to install her.

According to local media, Karki was speaking with Ashok Raj Sigdel, the army chief, and President Ramchandra Paudel.  Paudel declared that he was doing everything in his power to preserve democracy, uphold peace and order, and find a solution to the “current difficult situation” within the parameters of the constitution.

“I appeal to all parties to be confident that a solution to the problem is being sought as soon as possible to address the demands of the agitating citizens and to cooperate with restraint in maintaining peace and order in the country,” he said in a statement.