Nepal, May 3 -- The barber was almost about to fall asleep, but the rattling sound outside alerted him. As mandated by the rule, his shop was closed for the day, and because he wasn't a Nepali citizen, he had no slightest bit of interest in the election. Again, someone rattled the shutter. Who could it be? Irritably, he got up from his bed, walked through the small door into the hall where he had set up his haircut business.

The sound came through more stubbornly. "The shop is closed today," the barber informed, assuming that some kids had come. "It's me. Hello," the male voice replied, which sounded ridiculously mellifluous. At first, the barber didn't recognise the voice, so he retorted, "No one is allowed to open the shop today. Don't...