Police, armed forces, and even army teams have been deployed outside the counting center to manage security. Units from the Cyber Bureau and the Police Headquarters have also been deployed to prevent the spread of rumors.
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CCTV cameras and barbed wire have been used throughout the country in the election counting. Central Police Spokesperson Abinarayan Kafle said that security arrangements have been made to ensure that the counting of votes is completed peacefully as per the integrated election security action plan.
Arrangements have been made across the country for election officers and counting staff to sit inside the barbed wire fences and for representatives of candidates participating in the elections to sit outside. Arrangements had been made to place barbed wire fences during the counting of votes since the ballot paper was torn in Bharatpur in the 2074 elections. The police have stated that additional security arrangements have been made this time in continuation of that.
In Bharatpur, a ballot paper was torn at midnight on 14 Jestha 2074, while Maoist candidate Renu Dahal and UML's Devi Prasad Gyawali were contesting in the local level elections. This had caused a major controversy.
‘We are aware that no incidents of any kind occur this time, so arrangements have been made to prevent candidates or their representatives from touching the ballot papers during the counting,’ said DIG Kafle. ‘We have also arranged police personnel to work in shifts to ensure that there is no lapse in security. We have not allowed liquids such as flammable substances, ink, water, milk, tea, etc. to be carried.’ He said that stricter checks have also been made on representatives arriving at the counting site.
Nepal Police Inspector General Dan Bahadur Karki, addressing senior police officers across the country, has directed them to prioritize information collection to address security challenges that may arise at the counting site on Friday. ‘Take special precautions in effective police mobilization with necessary security strategies. Work with extra sensitivity so that there are no errors in the counting site, the results of the counting, and the rallies and processions of the winning party,’ he said. ‘The police should also work in a neutral, honest and committed manner, demonstrating high professionalism.’
According to Koshi Province Police Chief DIG Binod Ghimire, police, armed forces and army personnel have been deployed outside the counting center to manage the counting center. ‘Senior police officers have been deployed at various places,’ he said, ‘so the counting will be done in the same way as the election was conducted peacefully.’
The integrated security action plan also said that mobile security teams, strike teams and backup teams would be mobilized to prevent any untoward incident during the counting. ‘Special surveillance arrangements will be made to prevent crowding of people at the counting center and destruction of ballot papers,’ the plan says, ‘After the counting begins, an environment will be created where the counting of ballot papers from all the polling centers concerned can be carried out peacefully until the counting is completed.’
It has been said that people entering the counting center will not be allowed to carry items like matches, lighters, mobile phones, cameras, and photography equipment. The police said that the Cyber Bureau and other units of the police headquarters have been mobilized to prevent the spread of rumors during the counting process.
A plan has been made to provide reliable security to the counting site even after the final results are announced. Immediately after the results are announced, it was said that security arrangements will be made for the victory procession and public meeting, as well as for the security of the victorious and defeated candidates. It was also said that the route of the processions coming out of various political parties will be determined and that the ceremony venues will not be allowed to clash. Similarly, the police have prepared to monitor any disorderly activities that may be carried out by any individual or group. The police have also prepared patrols keeping in mind the possible clashes between the victorious and defeated parties.
