The Nepali Army is set to be deployed in the field from Wednesday to secure the upcoming House of Representatives elections. The army is set to be mobilized across the country exactly a month in advance to secure the elections scheduled for 21 Falgun.

Nepal Army Spokesperson Assistant Lieutenant Colonel Rajaram Basnet said that the army will be deployed in the field as per the integrated election security action plan. ‘The action plan for election security calls for deploying the army in the field a month before the voting, and accordingly, the army’s manpower is being mobilized across the country,’ he said, ‘Now they will remain in the field until the voting is completed.’ 

President Ram Chandra Poudel had approved the mobilization of the army for election security on 11 Mangsir on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. After that, the Central Security Committee formulated the Integrated Election Security Action Plan-2082. 

President Ram Chandra Poudel had approved the mobilization of the army for election security on 11 Mangsir on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. After that, the Central Security Committee formulated the Integrated Election Security Action Plan-2082.  According to Spokesperson Basnet, the security responsibility of all 75 prisons and juvenile correctional homes across the country, including the Central and Nakkhu prisons, has also been given to the Nepal Army throughout the election period. Since the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, who are under prison security, will be deployed in the field for election security, the army has been given the responsibility of temporary security management of the prisons until the voting is over and the results are announced. "Agreements are being made to take over temporary responsibility from other security agencies deployed for prison security," said Army spokesperson Basnet. 

Police and armed forces personnel deployed for the security of airports, important government buildings and offices, hydroelectric power plants and other structures will also be deployed for election security, so soldiers are also being deployed in those places. The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that the police and armed forces are coordinating with the army in these areas. 

The army is going to be mobilized throughout the election period by forming a joint and single mechanism with other security agencies in the field to secure prisons and other important physical structures. The security action plan mentions that the army will be deployed for election security by focusing on all 77 districts, 165 constituencies and 753 municipalities. Arrangements have been made for deployment from there in places where there is a permanent structure and temporary bases have been set up in places where there is no structure. 

In addition to on-site deployment, air patrols are also being started by setting up air bases in Itahari in the east, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Pokhara in Gandaki and Surkhet in Karnali, the military headquarters has stated. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, helicopters from private aviation companies will also be deployed through the Nepal Army for election security as needed. 34 helicopters from 11 private aviation companies are flight-capable. 

Arrangements have been made for the security forces to be deployed in the election in addition to foot patrols over long, medium and short distances, as well as vehicle patrols and plain clothes. The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that security personnel will be deployed based on security risks. Of the 11,901 polling stations designated for the 21 Falgun election, one-third have been considered highly sensitive in terms of security challenges. 

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, about 80,000 personnel from the army, about 71,000 from the Nepal Police, about 35,000 from the Armed Police Force, and about 2,000 from the National Investigation Department are being mobilized for election security. 149,090 election police officers have been selected for a 40-day work period. Of those undergoing basic training, 133,980 will be mobilized through the Nepal Police and 15,110 under the Armed Police Force. The election police officers will be taken to the field by both security agencies from next week.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has designated one joint secretary as a 'focal person' in each of the seven provinces to monitor/regulate and coordinate the work done according to the election security action plan. According to Ministry of Home Affairs Spokesperson Anand Kafle, the 'focal person' has been assigned the responsibility of monitoring the field situation and the work done according to the action plan formulated by the center and suggesting improvements if necessary.

To make election security effective, Home Ministry Secretary Rajkumar Shrestha held a 'virtual' meeting with the Chief District Officers of all 77 districts on Tuesday and directed them to work according to the election security action plan.

According to the election security action plan, coordination and implementation will be done by the Central Security Committee chaired by the Home Minister, the Central Election Command Post led by the Home Secretary, the Facilitation Committee led by the Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry, the Provincial Security Command Post led by the Chief Secretary of the provincial government in all seven provinces, the Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law of the province and the District Security Committee led by the Chief District Officer in the districts.