Nepal's King announces election date
Nepal’s royal government – which seized absolute power earlier this year - announced today the date for municipal elections, a tentative step towards restoring democracy in the Himalayan kingdom.
The Elections Commission said the polls, to be held in all 58 municipalities across the country, were scheduled for February 8, 2006, despite opposition threats to boycott the poll and an escalating communist insurgency.
It would be the first such polls in nearly eight years.
The election announcement comes at a time when most of the major political parties have been organising street protests against King Gyanendra’s power grab.
The parties have already pledged to boycott any elections held under the king’s rule. The Maoist rebels have yet to react to the announcement, but were also likely to oppose the move.
The government said elections will be held in the cities and major towns only, which have better security.
Gyanendra has been under pressure to restore democracy and the king has made assurances to foreign leaders and his own people that the democratic process would be restored soon.
