Kathmandu. All the four security agencies are mobilized in coordination with the Nepal Army from today as per the Integrated Security Plan 2082 to make the upcoming House of Representatives election free, fair and fear-free.

The government has already approved and implemented the Integrated Security Plan-2082 for the House of Representatives election in order to strengthen peace and security during the elections.

The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department are mobilized in an integrated Rumpa in view of the upcoming elections scheduled for March 4.

The ‘election police’ recruited for election purpose as per the integrated security plan will also be mobilized for election security. Nepal Police and Election Police will guard the inner perimeter of the polling stations. The Armed Police Force will take responsibility of the second layer of security cordon. The force will coordinate with the Nepal Army and Nepal Police.

The Nepal Army will be responsible for security from outside the security cordon. The Nepal Army has said that it will mobilize all the 165 electoral constituencies from Wednesday for the purpose of elections. President Ram Chandra Poudel on November 26 gave approval to mobilize Nepal Army for election security arrangements as per the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the decision of the Council of Ministers. NA Spokesperson and Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet said a NA base would be formed as per the need by focusing on the election security and joint patrolling would be carried out as per the need.

The army is preparing to mobilize 80,000 personnel for the election. According to NA Spokesperson Basnet, the army would be mobilized as per the Integrated Security Plan 2082 approved by the President in the context of elections.

As per the guidelines of the Integrated Security Plan, the army is going to be deployed in the field a month before the elections. The army will provide security in three phases during the election. The NA will be responsible for printing of ballot papers, transportation of ballot papers, security of polling stations, transportation of ballot boxes and security of vote counting centres. The NA will look after the security of airport, prison and other important structures in coordination and collaboration with Nepal Police and Armed Police Force.

The Nepal Army will ensure security to the political parties, candidates, voters and employees deputed in the election during the election period.

A total of 3,406 candidates are contesting in the upcoming elections. The Election Commission has enforced the election code of conduct from January 18. A total of 1,8903,689 voters including 9,240,131 women, 96,63,358 male and 200 third voters are eligible for the election.

A total of 23,112 polling stations have been set up at 10,967 polling stations across the country. Likewise, 77,000 police personnel will be mobilized for the election. A total of 133,000 ‘election police’ have been recruited as the existing manpower of Nepal Police alone would be insufficient for election management. The electoral constituencies have been categorized as hyper-sensitive, sensitive and general and security arrangements have been made accordingly.

A total of 2,845 polling stations have been categorised as normal, 4,442 polling stations as sensitive and 3,680 polling stations as highly sensitive. Accordingly, police personnel have been deployed regularly and security has been strengthened, police said.

A total of 49,686 personnel, including 34,576 for the Armed Police Force and 15,110 for the election police, will be mobilized for the election. High alertness has been maintained to prevent any untoward incident during the election period and the APF personnel has been mobilized to reach the incident site within 10 minutes.