Considering the security of the House of Representatives election, the government has instructed the local administration to hand over licensed weapons until the voting is over, but only a few have handed over their weapons. The number of licensed weapons held by the general public with permission from district administration offices across the country is about 21,000. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs had urged the parties holding such licensed weapons through district administration offices across the country to hand over such weapons to the government before the silent period begins. Following the Home Ministry's directive, all 77 district administration offices had issued public notices in the first week of Magh, instructing them to hand over the weapons within 15 days. However, only about 6,000 weapons have been handed over to the administration by Sunday. There is no exact data from the government on the whereabouts of the remaining weapons. 

About 2,100 weapons have been issued by the district administration of Koshi Province, about 2,500 in Madhesh, about 400 in the district administration of Bagmati, about 2,200 in Gandaki, about 6,100 in Lumbini, about 2,100 in Karnali, about 3,800 in the districts of Sudurpaschim, and about 1,400 in the three district administrations of the Valley. However, about 15,000 of the licensed weapons have not been handed over to the administration. 

According to home administration sources, although there are records of people holding licensed weapons since 2007 BS, such weapons have been destroyed, are in a state of disrepair, have been returned to the administration in the past, and have been looted during the armed conflict, but the number of licenses surrendered is lower than the number of licenses due to the lack of records. Security experts say that a detailed study of the whereabouts of unclaimed licensed weapons and the lack of a robust record-keeping system could add to the challenges to peace and security. 

Recently, in addition to the weapons looted from the police and escaped prisoners during the demolition of 24 Bhadra, the fact that registered weapons are outside the administration's regulation/control has been considered an election security challenge. Officials from all four security agencies say that the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and the Investigation Department have also mobilized special mechanisms, pointing out the risk that such weapons may be misused in the election after the number of licensed weapons surrendered has decreased. So far, only 67 weapons have been surrendered at the District Administration Office, Kathmandu. Kaski has issued 1,231 licenses to possess weapons including shotguns, barbours, eknales, and duinales, but only 112 have been submitted for the election.

Out of 1,267 licenses issued by various individuals from the Jhapa administration, only 40 have been submitted to the administration. Out of 944 licenses issued in Morang, only 125 have been returned. Out of 300 licenses issued in Sarlahi, only 68 have been submitted to the administration. Out of 1,363 licenses issued in Rupandehi, only 66 have been submitted. Although there is a record of 520 licenses issued in the Banke administration, only 235 have been submitted in the last time. 

Banke Chief District Officer Dil Kumar Tamang, who has worked in the Peace and Security Branch of the Ministry of Home Affairs, says that despite the lack of records of some weapons that have been destroyed and have been handed over to the administration in the past, the number of licensed weapons remaining outside is high, but the actual number has not been updated. However, he says that since such weapons pose a risk to peace and security and crime prevention and control during election security or other times, monitoring will continue through security agencies.

Sarlahi Chief District Officer Ramuraj Kadariya also says that the number of weapons handed over is lower than that shown in the administration's records, and there is duplication in the number when licenses are obtained from one administration and renewed by another district administration. However, he says that the necessary monitoring has been increased after assessing the risk that such weapons may be misused in the elections. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also directed to increase monitoring in view of the risk created by illegal weapons registered and brought in by criminal individuals and groups. The Home Ministry has instructed security agencies and district administrations to be vigilant against the risk of misuse of weapons by parties and groups opposing the election, other criminal individuals and groups, and others who are active in disrupting the election. Keeping in mind the risk of misuse of escaped prisoners, looted weapons, illegal weapons, and registered weapons under the election security plan, separate plainclothes mechanisms have been deployed across the country from all four security agencies.