Sabita Bhandari appointed Nepal’s first woman attorney general

Senior advocate Sabita Bhandari was on Sunday appointed as the attorney general of Nepal, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

President Ramchandra Paudel made the appointment on the recommendation of interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, according to a notice issued by the President’s Office.

Bhandari, a former information commissioner at the National Information Commission, replaces Ramesh Badal, who resigned from the post following the change of government — a customary practice in Nepal.

Her appointment comes amid nationwide unrest led largely by young people, dubbed the “protest of Gen Z.” The demonstrations, which began on September 8 after a short-lived social media ban, have drawn tens of thousands to the streets.

Protesters have voiced anger over corruption and poverty, while criticising the privileged lifestyles of the political elite’s children, referred to as “nepo kids.”

The protests soon turned violent, with protesters attacking the parliament building and police opening fire, and led to the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who fled his official residence.

Sushila Karki, 73, was named the new prime minister on Sept. 12. She was a popular figure while serving as the court’s only female chief justice in 2016 and 2017, and was known for her stance against corruption in the government.

Fresh parliamentary elections have been set for March 5.

With inputs from agencies