Nepal polls postponed after opposition refuses to participate

Nepal’s interim government has decided to postpone elections scheduled this week after opposition parties refused to participate unless the prime minister resigns. Communication Minister Raj Kishore Yadav says the Cabinet decided Tuesday to hold the Constituent Assembly elections between mid-April and mid-May next year. [caption id=“attachment_529415” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Opposition parties demanded that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai resign. Reuters[/caption] He says the date will be decided after discussions with the major political parties. The Maoist-led caretaker government had planned to hold elections on Thursday. However, opposition parties demanded that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai resign first. The Election Commission also said it needed more time to prepare. The previous Constituent Assembly was elected in 2008. Its two-year term was repeatedly extended because it failed to finish drafting a constitution. Its final term ended in May when parties couldn’t agree on another extension, leaving Nepal without a parliament. Associated Press