The 35-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader was sworn in at a ceremony at the President's Office in Sheetal Niwas at the auspicious time of 12.34 pm.

Balen, also an engineer, is the youngest person to be democratically elected to the office in the Himalayan nation, and also the first person from the Madhes region to hold the top executive post.

He was appointed as the 47th prime minister by President Ram Chandra Paudel in accordance with Article 76 (1) of the constitution earlier in the day.

He is the first democratically elected prime minister to be sworn in since the coalition government led by former prime minister Oli was ousted in September last year, after the youth-led Gen Z protest against corruption, nepotism, and a social media ban escalated into violence.

A unique blend of Hindu and Buddhist religious traditions featured in Balen's swearing-in ceremony.