Nepal king pledges municipal poll

The king says he acted as the government was not doing its job

Nepal will hold municipal elections by April 2006 to activate the "democratic process", King Gyanendra has said, 10 weeks after he seized power.

He made no mention of parliamentary elections or polls in rural areas, where most of the population live.

The king's move has been criticised by opposition parties who accused him of "playing political games".

He seized power in February, saying it was necessary to tackle Nepal's Maoist insurgency and widespread corruption.

'Steady improvement'

On Monday, Nepal decided to allow United Nations staff into the country to stop human rights abuses.

In a message marking the Nepali New Year, King Gyanendra said the security situation in the country had improved after the imposition of the state of emergency.

There should not be any delay in activating the democratic process King Gyanendra

"Everyone has experienced a steady improvement in the law and order situation due to the efficiency of our dedicated security forces," he said.

As a result, he said that he had directed the Election Commission to conduct elections to over 50 municipalities.

Correspondents say the king enjoys more support in urban areas than he does in the countryside.

Opposition parties have criticised the king's move.

"We do not support him in any of his political games," Jhala Nath Khanal, a senior leader of the Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist party told the AFP news agency.

The king is believed to enjoy more support in urban areas

The Nepali Congress party described the move as an "attempt by the king to ease pressure on himself".

"With most of the leaders and activists in jail and no political environment how can there be elections?" spokesman Mahesh Acharya said, the Associated Press news agency reports.

The country's Maoists have been fighting for nearly 10 years to replace the monarchy with a communist republic. About 11,000 people have been killed.

Human rights groups meanwhile say the country's already poor record has become even worse since the king dismissed the government and assumed direct power in February.

In their separate new year messages, Nepal's political parties have pledged to continue their countrywide agitation to press the king to restore democracy.