NEPAL'S ROCKY ROAD TO DEMOCRACY

Millions of Nepalis voted yesterday to choose a new parliament and 7 state assemblies more than a decade after the end of a civil war. The two-phase election is the first in Nepal since it turned into a federal republic and abolished monarchy in 2008. Here is a chronology of events in the Himalayan country since then:

2008, May 28: Special Constituent Assembly elected in April votes to abolish the 239-year-old monarchy and turns Nepal into a republic.

2008, July 23: The assembly elects Ram Baran Yadav as Nepal's first president.

2008, Aug. 15: Former rebel commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, is elected as prime minister. He had led a decade-long Maoist civil war that ended two years earlier.

2009, May 4: Prachanda steps down following a row with the president over the sacking of the army chief, leading to political instability in the country.

2010, May 28: The Constituent Assembly extends its term after failing to deliver a new charter within the stipulated period of two years.

2012, May 28: The assembly is dissolved without adopting any constitution amid wrangling among political parties.

2013, Nov 19: A second Constituent Assembly is elected to continue the unfinished task of drafting the charter.

2015, Apr 25: Worst earthquake on record jolts Nepal, killing 9,000 people and bringing political parties together to adopt the charter and focus on reconstruction.

2015, Sept 20:  The Constituent Assembly approves the new charter, turning Nepal into a secular federal democratic republic. Ethnic Madhesis living in the southern plains reject the new charter, calling it discriminatory.

2015-2016: More than 50 people killed during protests by the Madhesis demanding a unified homeland in their region. Activists block trade points with India leading to crippling fuel and medicine shortages.

2017, May-Sept : First elections to local bodies in 20 years held. MPs reject a government proposal to amend the constitution to meet some of the demands of the Madhesi minority.