Kathmandu: Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked caretaker Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and the Cabinet on October 4, declaring he would temporarily take executive power of the country.

Gyanendra, speaking on state-run television and radio, said Deuba was "unqualified" to preside over elections that were scheduled to start on November 13.

Deuba met Gyanendra on October 3 to request that the elections be postponed for one year because of the "deteriorating law-and-order situation" in the country due to the Maoist rebellion.

King Gyanendra's action came a day after Deuba had met him and sought postponement of the general elections in view of the worsening law and order across the country because of Maoist insurgency.

The monarch said he had taken the action keeping in mind national unity and sovereignty and in keeping with the spirit of the Constitution.

King Gyanendra said the general elections scheduled to begin on November 13 has been postponed as it would not be possible to hold the exercise in stipulated time.

The King asked all political parties to send their representatives within five days to form another government for holding the elections.

He asked the political parties to recommend only those of their representatives in the caretaker government who will not take part in the elections.

Appealing to the Nepalese people to back his actions, King Gyanendra said, "I will uphold the Parliamentary Democratic system in Nepal. I seek the co-operation of the people."

The new government, he said, would maintain law and order and conduct the elections.

The King had on May 22 announced November 13 as the date for the snap polls dissolving the House of Representatives at the recommendation of Deuba following the sacked Prime Minister's serious differences with ruling Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala over the issue re-imposition of Emergency in the country to fight the Maoist terror.

At least 5,000 people have been killed in seven years of Maoist insurgency in the Himalayan Kingdom.

The Maoists, opposed to Constitutional monarchy, had threatened to disrupt next month's elections and called a general strike to coincide with the polling.

The Maoists stepped up their violence campaign following lifting of the Emergency in August to facilitate free and fair electioneering and polling.

Deuba had sought one-year postponement of the general elections from next month to Nov 19, 2003.

A royal proclamation quoting the King said later "Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has been removed from the high office and the government has been dismissed under the Article 127 of the Constitution. The King has also announced that he has taken all the executive powers for the purpose."

Article 127 may be used to clear any obstacle while implementing any clause of the Constitution.

However, there is a provision in Article 127 that any action under it has to be endorsed by the House of Representatives.