With four new ministers Karki cabinet’s strength reaches eight

Additional four ministers have been inducted in the Council of Ministers led by caretaker Prime Minister Sushila Karki.

President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers amidst a special ceremony at the Office of the President ‘Sheetal Niwas’ Monday afternoon. Earlier, Prime Minister Sushila Karki recommended the names of the four ministers to President Paudel for cabinet expansion.

The newly included ministers are Anil Kumar Sinha, Jagadish Kharel, Madan Pariyar and Mahabir Pun.

Sinha is the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies while Kharel is the Minister for Communication and Information Technology. Pariyar is the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development while Pun is the Minister for Education and Science and Technology.

With the inclusion of four new ministers, the strength of the Council of Ministers has now reached eight. Earlier, on the President’s Office informed that five new ministers were appointed. However, on Monday morning the name of Sangita Kaushal Mishra

was dropped due to her controversial background. According to sources, Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), was investigating a corruption case against her.

Earlier, Prime Minister Karki had appointed Kulman Ghising as Minister for Energy and Physical Planning, Rameshwor Khanal as Finance Minister and Om Prakash Aryal as Minister for Home.

The interim government under the premiership of Sushila Karki was formed September 12 with special mandate to hold elections on March 5, 2026 following the Gen Z protest that forced the Oli-led government and dissolve the parliament. So far, no one has been appointed from among the Gen Z activists in the cabinet.

However, there are still many ministerial berths that remained vacant as Prime Minister Karki is holding around a dozen ministerial portfolios. According to sources, the current cabinet will be expanded to the maximums strength of 11.

Observers are waiting eagerly when the caretaker Prime Minister will expand her cabinet to the full strength, so that the responsibilities shouldered upon her including conducting Parliamentary elections on March 5 would be possible within the stipulated time frame. Besides maintaining law and order and conducting elections on time, the caretaker government has been mandated to take action against the corrupt politicians and investigate into the killing of 72 people during the Gen Z protests on September 8 and 9.