The political situation in the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal grows increasingly chaotic. Local municipal elections recently called by King Gyanendra, who assumed direct rule after sacking the prime minister and his Cabinet a year ago, had a voter turnout of just 22 percent, abnormally low for that country. No candidates ran for more than half of the some 4,000 posts up for election.

The seven main political parties in that country boycotted the polls in opposition to an election being held under the direct rule of the king, and the Maoist faction of the Nepal Communist Party, which has been waging an armed insurgency against the government, carried out terrorist attacks against candidates in an attempt to derail participation. Clashes with the armed forces reportedly resulted in deaths. Many people didn't vote because of their disappointment with the king. Thus the Nepalese government's claim that the elections were successful was far from the truth.

Democratization in Nepal had advanced during the reign of King Birendra, who, in response to a movement for democracy, permitted a multiparty system in 1990. The Nepal Communist Party-United Marxists and Leninists headed a government formed in 1994. In 2001, however, the situation changed dramatically when King Birendra and other members of the royal family were assassinated by Crown Prince Dipendra. King Gyanendra then ascended to the throne, but suspicions that he was linked somehow to the assassinations have not dissipated. The people's distrust persists.