Siraha, September 9

At total of 109 polling stations in Siraha have been declared highly sensitive for the upcoming third phase of civic polls slated for September 18.

Of a total of 221 polling stations across the district, 109 have been categorised as highly sensitive, 84 sensitive and 28 normal, according to Chief District Officer of Siraha Sri Krishna Shrestha.

Polling stations in the district have been divided into three categories after assessing security situations of those areas, as per Shrestha. Some of the highly sensitive polling stations lie in municipalities and rural municipalities bordering Indian territory. There are altogether eight municipalities and nine rural municipalities in the district.

Shrestha said a three-tier security cover would be thrown around each polling station, with the innermost ring to be guarded by Nepal Police personnel, the middle by Armed Police Force personnel and the outermost by Nepali Army men.

The government official also informed that a combined 6,000 security personnel from NP and APF would be mobilised during the election in the district. He said NA troops would be deployed as per necessity.  APF squads will patrol each polling station every ten minutes, according Shrestha. There are altogether 164 wards in eight municipalities and nine rural municipalities of the district that has a total of 31,596 voters.

Also, 2,586 election staffers, including government teachers and civil servants, would be deputed in 221 polling stations and 431 polling centres across the district. “One election officer, one assistant election officer, two assistant staffers and two helpers will be deputed in each polling centre,” said  Uttam Bhattarai, Information Officer at DEO, Siraha.