Bhagirath Yogi BBC reporter in Kathmandu

The Nepalese Government has ruled out the possibility of re-imposing the state of emergency in the country.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba made the announcement whilst addressing a visiting delegation of the Vienna-based International Press Institute in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Mr Deuba said he was not in favour of extending emergency rule but would consider imposing the restrictions in areas worst affected by the Maoist violence.

During the past week, the Maoists have been responsible for the deaths of more than 100 security personnel, according to police officials.

Review stratergy

And the latest announcement came amid speculation that emergency rule will be reinstated in the wake of growing Maoist violence.

Government officials said they will need to review the country's security strategy and methods of combating the six-year-old insurgency.

He pointed out that Maoist-related violence was on the increase after the nine-month long emergency expired late last month.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba: Under pressure

Nearly half of the more than 4,000 people killed in the six-year insurgency have died in the last nine months.

Prime Minister Deuba criticised the Maoists for targeting innocent civilians and also political activists for putting pressure on the government.

He said it was fair to say that the security agencies were still learning to respect human rights while fighting terrorism.

The emergency, which suspended many civil rights, gave extra powers to the security forces in their fight against the Maoists.

The Nepalese Government, which has branded the Maoists terrorists, said a democratic government could not be irresponsible like the terrorists.

The government imposed the state of emergency in November last year after the rebels walked out of the peace talks unilaterally and resumed violence.

But it was lifted last month.

Over 4,000 people have lost their lives during the Maoist insurgency whose main aims are to replace the constitutional monarchy with a people's republic.