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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said major political parties are found violating the election code of conduct for the local level elections during the silence period.

In a pre-election monitoring report, the NHRC shared that the candidacies of women and dalits is too less and no support system has been ensured for access of the disabled and the incapacitated to the polling booths.

Likewise, women, dalits, senior citizens and the disabled people are missing in the segregated data of the number of voters.

The report states that voters have the compulsion of walking for up to eight to ten hours in remote mountainous districts to cast voters in absence of easily accessible polling stations and some political parties used children for the publicity campaign.

The NHRC report said incidents of organising feasts to woo the voters and using cyber space and public platforms to throw abusive words against other political party/ies were also found in course of the monitoring.

More, election publicity contents were used going against the code of conduct. It also pointed out to the confusion among the voters regarding the voting process due to the lack of voter education.

Moreover, women numbered more in the list of missing voter identity cards with photos.

The report also stated that the health safety protocols against COVID-19 were not followed by the political parties while organising the mass assemblies.

Moreover, it said women’s candidacy except in special designated posts was very nominal in the post of ward chairperson.

The report said the election materials were inadequate in several districts.

An elderly man died after casting his vote in Baitadi.

The deceased has been identified as Hari Singh Bhat (84) of Kaphalda, Dogadakedar Rural Municipality-3.

Police said that Bhat fell unconscious after casting the ballot at Sanatan Dharma Higher Secondary School in Khochlek at around 8 am today.

He breathed his last on the way to a hospital for treatment.

Police fired nine rounds of bullets in the air after a clash broke between Nepali Congress and CPN-UML in Okhaldhunga on Friday.

According to Province 1 Police Office, Biratnagar, police fired nine rounds of bullets in the air to take the situation under control.

Police said that the clash broke out between Nepal Congress and UML cadres while managing the voting line at the polling station in Jeevan Jyoti Basic School, Champadevi Rural Municipality-9.

Election proceedings have been halted following the clash.

Police said leaders are holding a discussionto resume the voting.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a new prime minister as he tries to defuse protests over his handling of a severe economic crisis, BBC reported.

Senior opposition MP Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in to lead a proposed cross-party government.

The move came after the president ignored calls to resign, and vowed to restore order in a national address.

Nine people have been killed and 200 injured in unrest since his brother resigned as prime minister on Monday.

During his nationwide address, Mr Rajapaksa said he would appoint a new prime minister who commanded the majority of support in parliament, as well as a new cabinet. 

Mr Wickremesinghe has been on Sri Lanka's political scene for decades - this will be his sixth stint as prime minister, although he's never seen out a full term, according to BBC.

He is seen as being close to the Rajapaksas, and experts believe he has been chosen because he would be likely to guarantee their security and any safe passage they might request. 

But he does not currently command much support within the opposition or among the public.

A nationwide curfew that shut shops, businesses and offices was lifted for a few hours on Thursday morning, but reimposed in the afternoon.

Sri Lanka's economy is in freefall and people are desperate as basic items like food and fuel run out or become unaffordable.

In Colombo residents started lining up outside petrol stations even before the curfew was lifted. More vehicles could be seen on the roads as people rushed out to buy essentials, BBC reported.