Nepal Elections: Counting begins after first phase polling

Officials have begun counting the votes after the first phase of local elections in Nepal, which was conducted after a gap of 20 years on Sunday.

The elections conducted sought to elect leaders for 281 of the 283 local offices. Two representatives have been elected unopposed.

73 percent turned out to vote amongst the 49,000 candidates running in the elections. 34 districts conducted the elections for the local offices for the first time since 1997.

Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav hoped the positive response in the first phase will pave a way to a successful election in the second phase elections as well which begins on 14th June.

Nepal transitioned from monarchy to parliamentary form of government in 2008 after a long drawn civil struggle.

-ANI