As Nepal gears up for parliamentary elections on March 5, the Nepal Army has been deployed nationwide to bolster election security. A total of 79,727 army personnel will support the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and election police to ensure peaceful polls. The army’s involvement aims to enhance security for the upcoming House of Representatives elections.
Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet, the spokesperson for the Nepal Army, stated that the army’s mobilization aligns with the government’s decision and the Integrated Security Plan. Joint patrols with other security agencies have already commenced as part of election security measures. The army’s presence will allow police forces to focus on election duties by taking over security responsibilities at airports, prisons, and other critical sites.
Under the Integrated Security Plan, the Nepal Army will play a crucial role in securing ballot paper printing during the pre-election phase. Security arrangements will be executed in three stages: pre-election, election period, and post-election. The army will provide security for polling stations from the outermost security ring, collaborating with Nepal Police and Armed Police Force in a coordinated effort.
In the post-election phase, security personnel will be assigned to safeguard the transportation of ballot boxes, polling stations, and vote-counting centers. A comprehensive security mobilization plan involves over 338,000 security personnel from various agencies, including the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and intelligence units.
