Nepalgunj, March 25:

Only 16 days are left for the constituent assembly election but voters and candidates in Banke district are still worried over the fragile security situation.

Local security agencies claim that the district is ready to conduct polls in a peaceful manner but the candidates do not buy this idea and say the security situation in the district is fragile. Locals fear that a small disagreement could turn into a big turmoil if security forces don’t keep a close vigil.

Even Sushil Koirala, the acting president of Nepali Congress and candidate from Banke constituency 3, is not confident with the present security measures. “People are not yet confident that the April 10 elections will be held in free, fair and fearless environment,” he said.

Candidates and their cadres these days return to safe places after election campaigns in far flung villages. They live nearby police posts or any other security agencies in the villages. Echoing Koirala, the RPP candidate from the constituency 3 Dr Dhawal Shumshere Rana said that the election campaigns are being conducted amid heavy security presence.

“The situation is deteriorating and the candidates are not been able to run campaigns without help of police,” he said.

On the contrary, chief district officer Narendra Raj Sharma maintained that security situation in the district is under control and security has been beefed up to control any untoward activities. According him, altogether 2,500-strong force has been deployed for the CA polls in the district alone and police personnel are deployed for the security of candidates as well.

The Armed Police Force has set up 10 base camps - two in each constituency, and one at the Nepal-India border and one at the District Election Office, Sharma said.