KATHMANDU, Oct 18: The government is to mobilize all four security mechanisms for the House of Representatives (HoR) and provincial assembly elections to be held on November 20. According to the integrated election security plan passed by the Central Security Committee, the security personnel of all the four security agencies have been mobilized.
According to spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Joint Secretary Fanindra Mani Pokharel, it is mentioned in the security plan that security personnel will be mobilized for the security of constituencies and election activities from one month before the elections. Spokesperson Pokharel said, "The plan prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs has been approved by the Central Security Committee. Security personnel will be mobilized a month in advance, according to the plan."
168,000 security personnel to be mobilized for upcoming local-l...
According to the security agencies, the work of mobilizing the security personnel under the agencies as per the requirement has already started. The government is preparing to mobilize 35,000 more security personnel than the local elections held on May 13. At that time, 265,000 security personnel were mobilized. Spokesperson Pokharel informed Republica that 300,000 security personnel will be mobilized for the upcoming elections. For this, the government is ready to mobilize 71,000 personnel from Nepal Army, 71,693 from Nepal Police, 35,000 from the Armed Police Force, 115,000 Myadi Police (temporary police) and the rest from the National Investigation Department. It is said that the work of the security personnel, the method of deployment and the role to be played by them will be the same as in the previous elections.
According to which, the army will carry out the transportation of ballot papers, transport and security of ballot boxes, defuse bombs and explosives that can be used by anti-election elements to influence the election and deployment in the outer security perimeter of the polling station. Apart from this, Nepali Army Assistant Spokesperson Lieutenant General Narayan Silwal said that they will be on high alert for emergency situations according to the Integrated Security Plan and District Security Committee's plan. Silwal said, “The Nepali Army will do the job it has been doing for the security of the elections. In addition, our team remains on high alert in every district and constituency for emergency situations. Similarly, the Nepali Army will be deployed to provide security to prisons - a responsibility carried out by Nepal Police and Armed Police Force during normal times.”
On the other hand, Nepal Police Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Tek Prasad Rai said Nepal Police has completed all the security preparations and has reached the ground as per the requirement. He added, “We have an inherent responsibility. Often the security plan has been well discussed in coordination with and participation of all the four security agencies.”
Meanwhile, Armed Police Force Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Purushottam Thapa said that the Armed Police Force have also increased their activity in election security. With the progress in the election program, the Armed Police Force has been mobilized as needed to protect the Chief Returning Officer, Returning Officer and their office, District Election Office and other staff engaged in election duties. He said, “Our teams have been mobilized in all 77 districts. More operations are also being conducted as per the need.”
