KATHMANDU, Feb 8: The government has rolled out a nationwide election security plan for the March 5 House of Representatives polls, amid serious challenges posed by unrecovered arms and prisoners who escaped custody during the September 8–9 Gen Z protests.
Under the Integrated Security Plan (ISP) 2026, all four security agencies—the Nepali Army (NA), Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF) and National Investigation Department (NID)—along with temporary “election police” have been mobilized nationwide.
Army personnel have been deployed for weeks and have begun establishing security check posts in highly sensitive areas. On Friday, the NA set up an election security post in Upper Mustang. The APF has also launched similar deployments and patrol operations, while election police have joined field-level security duties.
As part of the plan, security agencies have started joint operations aimed primarily at recovering looted weapons and apprehending fugitives before polling day, in addition to addressing broader election-related security concerns.
Kavre jail prisoners demand transfer of their 'leaders'
Prime Minister Sushila Karki has reiterated the government’s commitment to holding peaceful elections, stating that authorities will not allow “a single drop of blood to be shed” during the campaign and voting period.
Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal said security forces are intensifying efforts to bring absconding inmates back into custody, claiming that the authorities have already traced many fugitives will arrest them soon.
Around 71,000 Nepal Police personnel will be deployed for election duty. The police have established dedicated election cells at the headquarters, provincial and district levels and are coordinating operations through security committees under the Home Ministry.
About 80,000 NA personnel and 35,000 APF members will operate from district headquarters across all 77 districts, as well as from temporary base camps in each of the 165 election constituencies. Patrols will be conducted across all 753 local levels using both four-wheeler and two-wheeler vehicles. An additional 130,000 temporary election police will be mobilized for patrolling and for deployment in the innermost security ring at polling stations.
In total, more than 320,000 security personnel will be deployed for election security.
Security deployment has been determined based on a risk assessment of 11,901 polling stations. Of these, 4,614 have been classified as highly sensitive, 4,442 as sensitive, and 2,845 as low risk. Separate rapid-response teams will be stationed at highly sensitive polling locations.
Security agencies have identified booth capture, voter intimidation and unrest by protest groups as key concerns. Authorities are also monitoring calls by pro-monarchy activist Durga Prasai and six fringe communist parties that have announced election boycotts.
Plain-clothes policemen and community policing units have been deployed to monitor election campaigning and rising social tensions, while security agencies have been authorized to act against violations of the election code of conduct.
