Nepal Elections | Voting Peaceful In First Nepal Election Since September Youth-led Protests

Voting was peaceful Thursday in Nepal's first nationwide election since a violent, youth-led uprising forced the government from power in September. Security forces patrolled streets and guarded polling stations across the Himalayan nation of about 30 million people as voters lined up to cast their ballots. Vote counting is set to begin later Thursday, with results expected over the weekend. Campaigning and voting through Thursday had not been disrupted by any incidents of violence, officials said. Authorities banned vehicles from the streets and prohibited political rallies and public gatherings. All forms of campaigning are barred on election day. People crowded polling stations from the mountains in the north to the southern plains districts. At the main square in capital city Kathmandu, men and women stood in separate lines under the warm spring sun while police officers and soldiers maintained a tight security presence around the area.