A total of 32 percent votes have been cast as of 12:45pm, the Election Commission said in a press meet on Sunday afternoon, as voting is underway across the country to elect 275-member parliament and 550 members of provincial assemblies.

Shaligram Sharma Poudel, spokesperson of the Election Commission, said except for a few incidents, voting is underway smoothly across the country.

He said that voter turnout was low in the morning which increased in the afternoon.

“The presence of voters was low at polling stations in the morning perhaps because of cold weather. But now there is an enthusiastic participation of voters everywhere,” said Poudel.

The commission said that polling was halted for a while due to disputes over various issues in some places, but the voting started again.

Voting in the elections of the House of Representatives and provincial assembly is underway across the country on Sunday. The voting started at 7am and will continue till 5pm.

A total of 10,892 polling stations and 22,227 polling centres have been established besides 141 temporary booths for civil servants, security personnel, prisoners and people living in old-age homes to vote.