Under mounting pressure from pro-democracy agitators, Nepal King Gyanendra Thursday night had consultations with Supreme Court Chief Justice Dilip Kumar Poudel and the attorney general triggering speculation that he was getting ready to restore democracy through revival of Parliament and hand over power to the people.

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The monarch also had a meeting with Home Minister Kamal Thapa and Royal Council Chairman Parshunarayan Chaudhari.

The agitating seven-party alliance is pressurising the king to hold Constituent Assembly elections through reinstatement of Parliament and bring the Maoists to the political mainstream to resolve the crisis.