Kathmandu, April 10, 2008

Voters across Nepal turned out in large numbers today as the country took a giant leap forward in its transition from war to peace that began with the signing in November 2006 of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the seven-party alliance and Maoists.

An estimated 10.5 million people — 60 per cent of the 17.6 million eligible voters — flocked to 239 of the 240 constituencies braving threats of violence and defying boycott calls from several armed groups to elect the Constituent Assembly, Nepal’s decades-old project.

The Assembly election was planned for 2007, but was postponed twice. The historic election passed by and large peacefully and the Election Commission said very few incidents of violence had occurred across the country. Two persons, including an independent candidate from Sarlahi-6, were killed and polling was cancelled in 33 of the 20,889 polling stations, according to the Commission. “These numbers are far below than what was anticipated widely,” Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel told journalists at a press conference shortly after the election ended at 5 pm. Nepal’s neighbours and the international community welcomed the election.

The successful elections are a welcome and historic step towards realising the aspirations of the people of Nepal for a democratic future, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement.

Polls acid test of Maoist mass base

Kathmandu, April 10, 2008

The election will be a real test of Maoist support among the people. Both the international community, and Nepali people are keenly waiting to see the results.

The international community and political parties in Nepal had doubts about whether the Maoists would really take part in the elections.

Now the Maoists have shown their commitment to multi-party democracy and supremacy of people’s will. The polls have been surprisingly peaceful.

There were widespread fears that violence might erupt in many parts of the country. People went to cast their votes early in the morning. “I feared that there might be disturbance in the afternoon,” said 61-year-old Radha Khadka of Lalitpur, who cast her ballotat Constituency No 3 as soon as the polling station opened at 7:00 am. “I am very relieved that things have been relatively calm.” There were many satisfied people in Nepal today.

One of them was Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula. The other was the Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel. “Yesterday I had said that the election would pass peacefully. The God has heeded our request,” euphoric Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokharel told a press conference at jampacked media centre shortly after the crucial vote ended this evening.