Nearly six months after a wave of unprecedented youth-led protests and the deaths of 77 people forced Nepal’s then prime minister to quit, people began voting on Thursday in a general election that will choose a new parliament in the Himalayan nation.
Perched between China and India, the country of 30 million people has been plagued for decades by political instability, crippling a largely agrarian economy and worsening unemployment — structural issues compounded by rampant corruption.
The long-festering malaise erupted into street demonstrations last September, triggered by a social media ban, that brought thousands on the streets, leading to clashes and fatalities that forced the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
On Thursday, voters flocked to schools, temples, and ancient courtyards that have been converted into polling booths across the country, with some braving the morning chill in the capital Kathmandu to vote early.
Voting started at 7am local time (0115 GMT) and will close at 5pm, with counting scheduled to start soon after, according to the country’s election commission.
Officials said more than 300,000 security personnel, including the military, had been deployed to ensure peaceful voting in the more than 23,000 polling booths across the country.
