KATHMANDU, Jan 23: A meeting of the High-level Election Security Committee has decided to involve all security agencies including the Nepal Army for the upper house elections.
The meeting held in the presence of election commissioners and chiefs of security agencies on Monday has decided to involve the army as a backup force in the elections. "They will not be directly involved in election security but will remain on the standby to avert possible security threats," said election commissioner Narendra Dahal.
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Other security agencies -- Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department -- however will be directly involved in election security.
At the meeting, Home Secretary Mohan Krishna Sapkota presented the government's preparations for poll security. Both the government and the Election Commission believe there will be no big security challenges in the elections in the context of the agitating locals in Dang and Doti already withdrawing their anti-government protests.
Locals in Dang and Doti were in protest for several days demanding that the provincial capitals of Province 6 and 7 be relocated in their respective areas. The government has named Butwal and Dhangadhi as provincial capitals of Province 6 and Province 7.
EC is holding upper house elections on February 7.
