Dozens of heavily armed soldiers and riot police patrolled the area as people sat on temple steps.

Handfuls of tourists wandered around, snapping pictures of ancient temples and palaces that make up the square as stern-looking soldiers toting rifles waved on vehicles that came to a stop.

At lunchtime, only five people voted in half an hour, and most did so more in hope rather than in expectation the polls would change anything in the nation racked by a deadly Maoist revolt aimed at toppling the monarchy.

"I've come to vote for peace," said Ishwori Nepali, a housewife, as she left the sandbagged polling station set up at the entrance to the royal museum.

"Elections are the only way that things can improve -- that's why I decided to vote."

Although shops selling tourist trinkets and copies of Buddhist holy paintings were closed as part of a Maoist-declared general strike aimed at thwarting the polls, a woman selling corn to feed holy cows and pigeons in the square was doing a roaring trade.

In back alleys surrounding the square, taking advantage of the vehicle ban imposed for polling day, dozens of young men played football, cricket and badminton, ignoring the election.