Thursday, September 7 2006 18:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: An inquiry commission will question Nepal King Gyanendra for his role in supressing the pro-democracy protests in April, the first time that a monarch will be probed in the history of Nepal.

The high-level commission probing the people's uprising has already questioned over 200 people, including members of the erstwhile royal cabinet, Army chief, King's private secretary and his other advisors.

"The commission has agreed in principle to question the King regarding his alleged involvement in crushing the popular uprising," Harihar Birahi, one of the members of the probe commission, said.

But it is yet to work out the procedure of questioning the monarch, he said.

"We have not yet decided whether the King should be summoned at the probe commission's office or questions should be sent to the royal palace asking for his response," Birahi told sources.

"The commission is convinced that the King can be summoned in connection with the excessive use of force during the pro-democracy movement.

"Not as the head of the state, but as the head of the royal cabinet the King is answerable to the works done by the previous royal government," he said.