Nepal announces four-day holiday during elections

Nepal government has declared a four-day holiday to ensure smooth polling in November 19 Constituent Assembly elections.
More than 120 political parties and thousands of candidates are contesting for a berth in the 601-seat Assembly. The holiday will start from November 16 to foil any attempt to disrupt the polling process, officials here said.
Meanwhile, yesterday's nationwide strike called by CPN-Maoist, a breakaway faction of the Prachnada-led UCPN-M, passed peacefully across the country.
The party has also called for a nine day transport strike beginning today. However, many vehicles plied capital Kathmandu's roads defying the strike.
Campaigning by political parties despite the strike. Markets and shops were open, but schools and colleges remained closed. Police rounded up some activists trying to enforce the strike.