Friday, April 15 2005 16:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee today (Apr 15, 2005) met King Gyanendra almost two months after making a formal request for an audience and is understood to have pressed for restoration of democracy and release of political leaders held after the royal takeover.

The meeting came in the midst of feelers being sent by Nepal for a meeting between the King and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of Asian-African Summit to be held in Jakarta from April 20-24.

No details of the meeting were available but it is understood that Mukherjee has conveyed to the King the need for restoration of democracy and release of political prisoners.

This was the second meeting between the Indian envoy and King Gyanendra after the February 1 royal takeover.

Mukherjee last met the King in February, just over a week after emergency was declared in Nepal.

India has taken a tough stance after the royal takeover, asking the King to restore democracy, end press censorship and release all political detainees. It has also halted military assistance to the Kingdom.