• The MoHA has prepared security Plan ‘A’ and Plan ‘B’ for the forthcoming polls

Kathmandu, June 13

Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma today assured Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhi Prasad Yadav and other election commissioners adequate security in the second phase of elections scheduled to be held on June 28 in 461 local levels of 41 districts of Provinces 1, 2, 5 and 7.

During a meeting held at the EC’s central office to discuss poll security, Sharma said the MoHA had prepared plans for security during the upcoming second phase of local level elections.

“Polls security plan prepared by the MoHA was in the implementation phase,” Election Commissioner Narendra Dahal quoted Minister Sharma, as saying. Sharma said elections would be held on the stipulated date and assured EC commissioners complete security.

CEC Yadav asked the home minister to ensure security from the point of nomination filing to vote counting. Election commissioners have asked Minister Sharma to make the security plan effective.

In response Home Minister Sharma said the government has been trying its best to resolve the existing problems politically. A source at the EC told The Himalayan times that Minister Sharma told the commissioners that the government would decide on security strategy only after a meeting with the former prime minister.

The MoHA has prepared security Plan ‘A’ and Plan ‘B’ for the forthcoming local level elections. The ministry said security Plan ‘A ‘was prepared for normal conditions, in which all political parties, including the agitating Madhesi parties would take part in the elections.

Plan ‘B’ was prepared anticipating unusual situations, in which the agitating Madhesi parties would boycott the polls and try to create obstacles to foil elections, according to the MoHA. Both security plan ‘A’ and ‘B’ were prepared by the Central Security Committee with suggestions from the National Security Council, Regional Security Committee and District Security Committee. The MoHA had already briefed the EC commissioners about both security plans ‘A’ and ‘B’.

The EC, which had already met twice with security agencies after the phase I polls, held on May 14 in province 3, 4 and 6, said another meeting with security agencies was scheduled for tomorrow.   Representatives of Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department would be present at the security briefing.