KATHMANDU, APRIL 21
Security arrangements have been finalised for the local level elections slated for May 13.
Joint-secretary Fanindramani Pokharel, spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs, said security arrangements would be put into effect in line with the Local Level Election Integrated Security Plan recently approved by the MoHA.
He informed that a circular was also issued to all district administration offices to strictly enforce the integrated security plan in the respective areas to hold local level polls in a free, fair and fearless environment.
The security plan was outlined for integrated mobilisation of Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department. As per the integrated security plan, 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 political parties after announcement of the final results of the civic polls.
As many as 70,000 personnel from Nepal Police and 32,000 from APF will be deployed for election security.
The number of NA personnel is yet to be finalised. In addition to security forces, there will be around 100,000 temporary cops. According to the MoHA, security agencies will also conduct ground and aerial patrolling during the elections to ensure that voting exercise goes on smoothly without any untoward incident.
Nepal Police personnel and temporary cops will be deployed inside the polling centres while APF and NA will man the second and outermost rings respectively.
Arrangements are made in such a way that security personnel can reach anywhere within 10-15 minutes.
Security agencies will mainly focus on the security of voters, election candidates, political leaders, general public, election officials, warehouses of election logistics, polling stations and ballot counting centres, among others.
The MoHA warned that any person or group involved in intimidating and threatening voters, candidates and employees deputed to polling stations would be dealt with ruthlessly.
The polling stations have been classified into three categories - normal, sensitive and highly sensitive - for security purpose.
The number of security personnel manning the polling station will depend on the area and population.
Nepal Police has been given the responsibility of a first responder if any untoward incident takes place.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 22, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
