All four agencies will be mobilizing security personnel across the country from November 10, targeting security for the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the National Investigation Department are going to mobilize their manpower across the country from next week under the election security plan. A Home Ministry official informed that security personnel are going to be mobilized across the country from 10 Mangsir from all four agencies as per the integrated election security action plan approved by the Central Security Committee and the National Security Committee. For this, single and joint security patrols and plainclothes manpower will be mobilized at the appropriate places as per the requirement, the official said. Elections are being held on 21 Falgun to elect 165 direct and 110 proportional members of the House of Representatives.

The Central Security Committee meeting held on 30 Kartik under the chairmanship of Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal approved the ‘Integrated Election Security Action Plan-2082’ for the election scheduled for 21 Falgun. The meeting had sent the action plan to the National Security Council through the Ministry of Defense for approval, including the army, police, armed police, and temporary police, as part of the integrated security concept for the election. The National Security Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Thursday approved the action plan approved by the Security Committee and recommended the mobilization of the army to the Council of Ministers. National Security Council meeting: Recommendation to mobilize the army in the House of Representatives elections

The Council of Ministers is meeting on Friday to decide on the mobilization of the army as recommended by the Council. There is a constitutional provision that the decision to mobilize the army must be made by the Council of Ministers and approved by the President.

The Central Security Committee meeting has approved the mobilization of about 79,000 army personnel, about 72,000 police personnel, 33,000 armed police personnel, and 130,000 temporary police personnel in the upcoming election. Thus, it has been decided to mobilize about 3.25 million human resources under the integrated security action plan for the upcoming election security. Accordingly, a cabinet meeting has been held on Friday to take a decision on the mobilization of the army.

Nepali Army Spokesperson Assistant Lieutenant Colonel Rajaram Basnet informed that the army will be mobilized for the upcoming election security as per the decision taken by the Central Security Committee, National Security Council and the Government of Nepal Council of Ministers. He said that the Security Council has approved the mobilization of the army as per Article 267, Clause 4 of the Constitution and preparations have been made accordingly. The said provision of the Constitution states that ‘the Government of Nepal may mobilize the Nepali Army for development, construction and disaster management as per the federal law’.

Army Spokesperson Basnet said that the army will be deployed for election security in accordance with the same provision of the Constitution and the Election Commission Act-2073.

Police and Armed Forces officials also informed that from next week, in addition to regular peacekeeping, manpower will be mobilized with an election focus. To normalize the chaotic situation after the Gen-G protests of 23 and 24 Bhadra, the army, police and armed forces have been conducting joint security patrols for a month and a half and have also started special operations to control weapons looted during the protests, prisoners who escaped from prison, and the potential fear created in society due to them.