KATHMANDU (AFP) -- Opposition parties in Nepal Tuesday said they would defy a government ban on protests and will go ahead with a demonstration against King Gyanendra's rule as planned this week.

An alliance of seven main political parties has planned a rally for Friday in the capital that is expected to draw thousands of supporters opposed to Gyanendra's seizure of power a year ago and his proposal for local elections next month.

"The ban will not have any impact on our protest," Gopal Man Shrestha, acting president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) party told AFP.

City authorities imposed a inner-city, late-night curfew Monday evening, and in a later statement issued a ban on meetings, processions and sit ins from Tuesday, state-run media reported.

The government said the curfew and protest ban are necessary after weekend attacks on several targets near the capital left at least 12 police officers dead, state-run media reported.

"His Majesty's government has also requested the general public to remain away from any kind of protest or demonstration -- as there is a possibility of such programs taking a violent turn," the Rising Nepal, an English-language government newspaper said Tuesday.

But political parties said the protest ban was a crackdown on civil rights.

"The whole purpose of a curfew and the ban on demonstrations is not to counter violent activities but is intended to prevent the peaceful protests of the seven-party alliance," Nepali Congress leader Ram Sharan Mahat told AFP.

A call made by the Home Ministry Monday for opposition parties to engage in dialogue with the royal government was dismissed by the political leader. "We don't give much importance to such call as there is no any grounds for talks," said Mahat. "Unless the king transfers political power to people's representatives talks are not possible."

A rally held by the seven opposition parties in the southern town of Janakpur on January 14 attracted tens of thousands of protestors according to eyewitness, and organizers hope that even more will turn out in the capital on Friday.

In February last year, King Gyanandra sacked the government, claiming it had failed to stem a decade-long Maoist insurgency, and took control.

Facing international calls to restore democracy, Gyanendra has outlined a roadmap to peace, under which local elections in 58 municipalities will be held on February 8, and national elections to be held sometime before April 2007.

Opposition parties plan to boycott the polls and Maoists have threatened to disrupt them, but state-run media is running daily stories detailing how various municipalities are prepared for the election.

Last November the ousted opposition parties and the Maoists formed a loose alliance.

Despite the deaths of at least 45 people since the Maoists ended a four-month unilateral cease-fire two weeks ago, the alliance remains, a Maoist commander said in an emailed statement Monday.