Nepal votes to elect constituent assembly

Voters across Nepal lined up at polling booths since early Tuesday morning to elect the country's next constituent assembly.

Updated on: Nov 19, 2013, 08:56:37 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Voters across Nepal lined up at polling booths since early Tuesday morning to elect the country's next constituent assembly.

Polling began in 75 districts at 7am and would continue till 5pm.

This is Nepal's second constituent assembly election in five years after the previous one elected in 2008 failed to draft a new constitution.

Despite incidents of violence that claimed one life and injured dozens leading to the polls, initial reports say polling is taking place smoothly in Kathmandu and other places.

The election is being opposed by a 33-party alliance led by a Maoist faction. Police attribute the incidents of violence as handiwork of cadres belonging to these parties.

A total of 191,000 security personnel including 62,000 from Nepal Army have been deployed at over 18,000 polling booths to ensure problem free polling.

Among those who reached polling booths early to cast their votes were chairman of Nepal's interim government Khil Raj Regmi and chief election commissioner Neel Kanth Uprety.

"It is encouraging to see voters turning up at booths. This is a historic opportunity for Nepal and hence I appeal every voter to cast their ballot," Regmi said after casting his vote.

The number of total registered voters in Nepal has declined from 17.6 million in 2008 to 12.1 million this time. Some attribute it as a case of voter apathy due to failure of the previous constituent assembly to draft a constitution.

Over 16,000 candidates are in fray for the 240 directly elected seats and 335 under proportional representation in the 601-member constituent assembly which has 26 nominated members as well.

Outcome of this election is expected to end political and constitutional crisis in Nepal, give the country a new system of governance and restructure it into federal states.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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