Nepal polls called off indefinitely

The polls scheduled for November 22 were a key element of a peace deal sealed last year that ended a civil war launched by the Maoists in 1996.

Voters were to elect a body to rewrite Nepal8217;s constitution and decide the fate of the Himalayan country8217;s embattled monarchy.

8220;A date for a special session of the country8217;s interim parliament will be announced today to address the Maoist demands for a fully proportional election system and the fate of the monarchy,8221; Poudel said.

The fiercely republican Maoists have been pushing hard for the immediate abolition of the monarchy as well as a change in the election system.

After agreeing to polls with a mixed first-past-the-post and proportional representation system, the ex-rebels demanded full proportional voting.

They vowed to disrupt the November ballot if mainstream parties refused their demands.

Analysts say that the ultra-leftists have become fearful of the elections as their support has plummeted because of their continued strong-arm tactics and bloody unrest in the southern Terai region.