Chapakot Municipality and surrounding areas of Syangja have been in the news for incidents of controversies and clashes during elections in the past. Allegations have been raised repeatedly that voters were not able to cast their votes freely at polling stations in Chapakot, Masyangkot and other places, and that specific parties were occupying booths and conducting voting.

According to locals, in some cases, the polling officer himself was forced to stay outside the booth. In the 2079 BS House of Representatives election, the issue of voting in the name of a deceased person at the Ram Abi polling station in Chapakot Municipality-3 attracted national attention. In that election, there was a tough competition between former Congress Vice President Dhanraj Gurung and UML Secretary Padma Aryal. The incident of the vote counting being stopped for four days after allegations of booth capture and irregularities is still at the center of local political debate.

In view of past incidents, this time the central security team has placed Chapakot on 'high alert'. The heads of all three security agencies, including the secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, are deployed for direct monitoring. There are 15 polling stations here alone. Double the number of security personnel have been deployed in this area from all three security agencies.

The district police has stated that security checks, information collection and patrolling have been increased. Additional police have been sent from the police headquarters and the province. Election police have been brought in from five districts, while a security team has been deployed under the command of the DSP of the Area Police Office, Chapakot.

According to sources, immediate action has been taken against anyone who tries to occupy a booth or disrupt the election. Due to local pressure and threats, some people were not able to vote freely in the Chapakot area. This time, it is said that each person will be ensured to vote only once.

Security has been tightened in Syangja, Dolakha and Bajura districts as well. Additional security personnel have been deployed at sensitive polling stations and the surveillance system has been strengthened. Along with Chapakot, areas such as Kaligandaki, Waling, Pelakot, Galyang, where booths were occupied in the past, have also been kept under suspicion. The District Security Committee has stated that it has been placed under special surveillance based on the geography and past incidents there.

The government has claimed that this time the voters will be able to vote fearlessly and fairly. Home Minister Omprakash Aryal had commented during a program that this time, 'fathers will not come to vote' in Chapakot. He said that a special security plan has been made in the area where booths will be occupied.

The impact of the security presence seems to have increased confidence among voters. A youth close to the Congress jokingly said, 'This time, I withdrew my citizenship just to vote. The elections that were supposed to be held in five years will be held in three years, and it's not like I'll be able to meet my ancestors.'

Although his sarcastic expression alludes to past unnatural incidents, this time's tight security arrangements are expected to strengthen public confidence in the democratic process. Syangja Police Chief Dadhiram Neupane says that preparations are being made to make the elections peaceful, fair and transparent.

According to SP Neupane, 56 polling stations in the district have been classified as highly sensitive. The District Security Committee has placed these polling stations in the highly sensitive list based on the geographical situation and analysis of the last election. A security strategy has been prepared by classifying them as highly sensitive, sensitive and normal.

Bhavat Prakash Malla is the candidate from the Congress in Syangja-2. Khim Bahadur Thapa is the candidate from the UML, Resham Bishwakarma from the Nepal Communist Party and Jhavilal Dumre is the candidate from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Syangja has two constituencies, where there are 248,816 voters. According to the District Election Office, there are 130,886 voters in Constituency No. 1—of whom 64,775 are men, 66,110 are women, and 1 other voter. 108 polling stations and 171 polling stations have been designated in the constituency. The district jail has been set up as a temporary polling station.

Similarly, there are 117,930 voters in Constituency No. 2. Out of these, 57,689 are men and 60,241 are women. 91 polling stations and 151 polling stations have been designated here.