KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Bimalendra Nidhi, on Saturday urged all the voters in Province 3, 4 and 6 to exercise their franchise on May 14 local level elections without any  fear.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs  in the Capital city, Minister Nidhi said that necessary preparations have been completed for security arrangements for the polls.

DPM Nidhi said that the Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force are mobilised for air and land patrol to avert obstructions of any kind in order to hold the elections in free and fair manner.

The mobilisation of security personnel was carried out in accordance with the Local Level Election Security Plan 2017, according to DPM Nidhi.

A total of 22 thousand 575 security personnel from Nepal Police, 17 thousand 356 from Armed Police Force, 383 from the National Investigation Department and 22 thousand 602 temporary cops are mobilised in 6,642 polling stations in the 283 local level units of the 34 districts in  three provinces.

Around five thousand security personnel are on stand-by for the contingency, according to  DPM Nidhi.

The voters, whose number stands at 4 million 956 thousand 925 would elect 13 thousand 556 people's representatives in the first phase of elections, said Nidhi, the ballot boxes would be taken to the designated area escorted by the security personnel.