PM directs security agencies to stay prepared

Published On: April 19, 2017 07:43 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, April 18: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has instructed the security agencies to make necessary security arrangements to ensure “free and fair polls”.

In a meeting with chiefs of all four security agencies on Tuesday, PM Dahal said that his government was committed to holding polls at any cost in the stipulated date and urged for full cooperation from the security agencies.

The meeting was held a day after Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi posted a tweet expressing his doubt over the preparedness of the security agencies to provide polls security.

PM Dahal summoned Nepal Army chief General Rajendra Chhetri, Nepal Police chief Prakash Aryal, Armed Police Force chief Singha Bahadur Shrestha and Central Bureau of Investigation chief Dilip Regmi at his official residence in Baluwatar to discuss the latest security situation of the country in view of the local polls slated for May 14.

The chiefs of the security agencies separately briefed him on the integrated election security plans as well as their individual plans. During the meeting, the head of the concerned security agencies had also informed about the potential challenges to polls security and counter measure taken by them.

“The security chiefs informed Dahal that the security situation was normal,” said the prime minister’s personal secretariat.

Highly-placed sources said that the chiefs of the security agencies had suggested to the prime minister to bring the agitating parties on board the election process to avert potential challenges to the polls from the Madhesi parties.

Sources privy to the meeting informed Republica that PM Dahal told the security chiefs that the government was trying to resolve differences with the Madhesi parties at political level but stressed the need for best possible security arrangement.

The integrated security plans developed by the four security agencies has categorized polling stations into three zones: normal, sensitive and extremely sensitive zones. Informed sources said that than 80 percent of the polling stations in the tarai has been included in the highly sensitive zone.