Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi sworn in as Nepal PM

Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was on Thursday sworn-in as Nepal's new prime minister to head an interim government that will hold elections in three months, ending a long political deadlock in the country.

Regmi, 63, was sworn in as the head of interim election government as a part of the eleven-point deal reached among three major parties and United Democratic Madhesi Front on Wednesday during a marathon meeting to form an election government.

President Ram Baran Yadav administered the oath of office and secrecy to amidst at his office in Shital Niwas.

On the occasion, Regmi as head of interim election government also administered the oath of office and secrecy to former chief secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire as home and foreign minister and former Law secretary Hari Prasad Neupane as labour and law minister, Republica.com reported.

UCPN-Maoist Chairman and former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, outgoing Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and senior government officials and heads of diplomatic missions and security agencies were present on the occasion.

This will be for the first time in Nepalese political history that a sitting chief justice is being named as the head of the government, sources said.

The appointment of Regmi ends an impasse since the last parliament's term expired almost a year ago.

The new government's main task is to hold elections by June 21 to choose a new Constituent Assembly to write a constitution and double as the country's parliament.