Karki, who was removed from the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP), is preparing to file a petition at the Supreme Court demanding his reinstatement to the top police post. According to reports, he plans to approach the court on Thursday, taking his removal from the country's police leadership into the judicial arena. The development sets up a fresh legal battle over the leadership of the police force and places the decision to remove him before the country's apex court for examination.

Petition set to be filed on Thursday

Karki has been preparing legal documents for the petition, which he is expected to file at the Supreme Court on Thursday, according to a report published by Global Aawaj. The petition will demand that he be reinstated as Inspector General of Police.

The move follows his removal from the IGP post. By choosing to approach the court, Karki is signaling that he intends to contest the decision through legal channels rather than accept his exit from the top police job. The key points established so far are limited but significant:

  • Karki was removed from the post of Inspector General of Police.
  • He is preparing a petition demanding reinstatement to the same post.
  • He plans to file the petition at the Supreme Court on Thursday.
  • The reports so far have not detailed the specific legal grounds he will raise or the circumstances surrounding his removal.

Those details are likely to become clearer once the petition is formally registered at the court and its contents become public.

Supreme Court's role in disputes over the police chief

Disputes over who leads the police force have repeatedly ended up before the Supreme Court in Nepal. The Inspector General of Police is the highest post in the police organization, and decisions about appointing or removing the person holding that office carry major consequences for the institution and for the government that makes them. When such decisions are contested, senior officials have historically turned to the courts, and the Supreme Court, as the apex judicial body, is the final authority on whether such decisions comply with the law.

The court's involvement in matters relating to the IGP post is not unusual. In past disputes over the top police job, the Supreme Court has been asked to examine the legality of appointments and removals, and its verdicts have at times changed who commands the police force. Because the IGP leads the institution responsible for policing nationwide, these cases tend to draw close attention from within the police organization, from the political leadership and from the public.

If the petition is filed as planned, it would first be registered with the Supreme Court and then placed before a bench. The bench would decide whether and when to hold hearings on the matter. In cases of this nature, courts are often asked to move quickly, and the bench hearing the petition may also be asked to issue an interim order while the case proceeds. Any such order could have an immediate bearing on whether the removal remains in effect while the case is pending.

What the petition could mean

The stakes in the case are considerable. If the Supreme Court finds in Karki's favor, he could be reinstated as IGP and return to lead the police force. If the court declines to intervene or ultimately rules against him, his removal from the post would stand. The final outcome will rest on how the court assesses the arguments presented in the petition and the response offered by the authorities.

As of the latest reports, the government's position on the planned petition has not been made known, and there has been no public indication of how quickly the court might take up the matter once it is filed. It is also not yet clear whether Karki will seek an interim order alongside his demand for reinstatement, or which parties will be named as respondents in the case.

For now, the confirmed facts remain those reported in the run-up to Thursday: a former Inspector General of Police, removed from his post, preparing to place his case before the Supreme Court and ask it to return him to the job he held. As first reported by Global Aawaj, the petition is expected to be filed on Thursday. Once it is registered, the legal arguments, the respondents named in the case and the court's initial approach are expected to come into focus, offering the first clear picture of how the dispute over the top police post will unfold.