United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres today welcomed the holding of the two-phased state and federal elections in Nepal and congratulated the people for the peaceful conduct of the polls.<br/><br/>According to Spokesman for the Secretary-General St'phane Dujarric, Mr. Guterres hopes that all parties will maintain the same spirit in the next stages of the electoral process.<br/> <br/>Mr Guterres said, these elections mark a historic moment for Nepal in implementing its federal structure as enshrined in the 2015 Constitution.<br/><br/>The election in Nepal is being seen as the final step in country's transition to a federal democracy following a decade-long civil war till 2006 that claimed more than 16,000 lives.