Nepal holds controversial municipal elections on 8 February amid tight security. A Maoist insurgency and a poll boycott by all the main opposition parties have raised concerns about the credibility of the polls.
BBC Monitoring looks at key issues.
Why are the elections significant?
King Gyanendra, who assumed direct rule in February 2005, announced the local elections in October as a precursor to parliamentary polls which he says will take place by April next year. He has faced heavy criticism for his dismissal of the government and the way he has handled the Maoist insurgency, as well as for the widespread arrests of political opponents and media curbs.
The election announcement failed to placate his critics. The king's administration, his personal credibility and the country's stability are at stake. The polls also come weeks after Maoist rebels ended a unilateral cease-fire. The rebels are effectively in control of most of rural Nepal.
What is planned?
The government has vowed to hold the elections "at any cost", but most observers say anything approaching a free and fair election in Nepal is impossible, given the current security situation. Hundreds of seats failed to attract any candidates on nomination day, forcing plans to be scaled down. A quarter of the more than 4,000 seats have no one standing at all. Voting will now take place in only 36 of the 58 municipalities initially scheduled (covering 43 of Nepal's 75 districts).
More than 600 candidates have withdrawn, apparently fearing for their safety. Those left have been urged to report to paramilitary camps or safe houses. Seventy-two parties registered to take part in the elections, but most of them are small and inexperienced.
On the eve of polling, Nepal Radio said 1,682 candidates are competing for 618 posts, and that 1.5m voters will be able to cast ballots at 1,040 polling centres.
Why are parties opposed to the poll?
Dozens of parties have dismissed the elections as a ploy to legitimise what they see as the king's "autocratic rule" and have refused to take part. The parties have called on the king to call off elections and restore parliament. They bitterly oppose the king's use of media and telecommunication controls and have accused him of violating human rights and misusing the military. Prominent party leaders and hundreds of activists, as well as journalists, have been arrested.
The parties also cite security fears, saying the election will exacerbate the decade-old Maoist insurgency. They have called for dialogue on the issue and have reached a 12-point "understanding" with the Maoists.
A seven-party opposition alliance, formed in May 2005 to campaign for the restoration of democracy, has led the protests and rallies against the elections. The alliance includes major parties like the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified-Marxist-Leninist), which collectively secured 182 out of 205 seats in parliamentary elections in 1999.
How have the Maoists responded?
The Maoists have ordered a nationwide week-long shutdown to coincide with the elections, which they describe "meaningless drama". They called off a four-month cease-fire in early January, since when violence in the kingdom has risen sharply. Despite a pledge to the United Nations not to intimidate or threaten poll candidates, the rebels are suspected of murdering at least two candidates and attacking others. They have openly threatened those participating with "very serious consequences", but have denied a policy of specifically targeting innocent civilians, political activists or electoral candidates.How has the international community reacted?
In October, the government advised the Election Commission that international monitors were "not necessary". Since then, the commission is understood to have asked the UN, diplomatic missions and non-governmental organizations to observe polling. But no foreign or domestic group is expected to monitor the poll. The UN representative in Nepal explained in December that it was not common practice for the UN to monitor local elections and that six months' preparation time is generally required.
India, the UK, the US and the EU have all queried the credibility of the polls. They have called for the urgent restoration of democracy and talks between the king and political parties. China, which until January referred to events in Nepal as an internal matter, has now expressed concern about the situation and has called for inter-party dialogue.
BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaus abroad.
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