Simon Denyer is India bureau chief for Reuters, with responsibility for Nepal and Bhutan. He has visited Nepal several times to cover what often seemed intractable political and social problems, including a Maoist revolution, and most recently for April 10 parliamentary elections.

In the following story slugged NEPAL-ELECTIONS and headlined "WITNESS-From war to election: Nepal's exhilarating ride", he describes a vote many had never expected to happen and, when it did, few expected to go smoothly. The sceptics were in for a surprise.

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