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Nepal King for elections in 2007

KATHMANDU: Nepal's King Gyanendra has directed the Election Commission to conduct parliamentary elections by mid-April 2007.

``We have commanded the Election Commission to conduct elections to the House of Representatives within the year 2063 BS by further strengthening the favourable environment created with the holding of the municipal elections,'' the King said in a message to the nation on the occassion of Vijaya Dashami on Wednesday.

The major political parties representing over 90 per cent of the seats in the dissolved Parliament and local bodies have already said they would not accept elections under the direct rule of the King.

``Meaningful multiparty democracy is possible only by re-energising representative institutions through free and fair elections,'' the King said.

``Therefore, to honour the collective wisdom of all enfranchised Nepalese, everyone with faith in multiparty democracy must contribute to its consolidation by participating in the forthcoming municipal elections, '' he said.

The Government has already declared the election for the municipalities in February next year.

The major political parties struggling to establish "full-fledged democracy" have said the election is not possible without resolving the Maoists insurgency which has claimed over 12,000 lives since 1996.

The mainstream political forces have demanded the revival of the dissolved House and form an all-party government to hold talks with the rebels before holding the election. — UNI

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