KATHMANDU, APRIL 7

The Election Commission has issued the Elections Security (Management) Directive, 2022, in view of the need to conduct polls in a fair, free, impartial, and fearless environment.

The local level elections is scheduled for May 13. Even though the directive focuses on all levels of elections, the EC's directive has come just before the civic polls. The act stipulates the provision of providing security for election officer, office of election officer, election materials, election candidates and their attorneys, voters and general public, ballot box and ballot papers, electoral rolls, polling centres and employees deputed there, leaders of political parties, election campaigns and rallies, election observers and mediapersons, among others.

The directive requires security agencies to ensure the security of persons, places and materials specified by the law.

'The Government of Nepal shall mobilise security agencies for foolproof security sensitive places, including district election office, district administration office, court, prisons, telecommunication office, radio and television station, electricity tower, airport and other vital installations during the election,' the directive says.

The directive also calls on the government to make arrangements for reserve security force in all districts for its immediate mobilisation if the security personnel deployed for elections fail to take the situation under control amid threats to election proceedings.

The back-up security force will be kept on standby in the district headquarters.

The security agencies will carry out pre-election, election and post-election security operations. The security arrangements will be in place until the victory rally of the political parties after announcement of the final results of the local level elections. Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department are set to be deployed for security, in addition to temporary cops.

As per the three-tier security arrangement, Nepal Police and temporary cops will be deployed inside the polling centres, while Armed Police Force and Nepali Army will deployed in second and outermost rings respectively, said the source. Security agencies have classified constituencies and polling centres into 'highly sensitive', 'sensitive' and 'normal' considering the security threat. Officials said regional administrators, chief district officers and regional and district police chiefs will inspect the polling stations while helicopters will be used for aerial patrolling in sensitive and highly-sensitive areas.

According to the directive, there will be striking teams, bomb disposal squads and aerial patrol teams as well. 'If a polling station or counting centre is captured by any person or group, security personnel will take action accordingly in coordination with the returning officer.

The directive has made the provision of a nine-member high level election security committee led by an election commissioner. The other members include EC secretary, home secretary, defence secretary, lieutenant general designated by the Chief of Army Staff, inspector general of Nepal Police, inspector general of Armed Police Force and chief of National Investigation Department, among others.

Similarly, there will be a seven-member district election security committee headed by chief district officer. The directive has also specified the functions, duties and powers of the high level election security committee and district election security committee.

A version of this article appears in the print on April 8, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.