One-third of polling stations declared ‘highly sensitive’
Following a recent security risk assessment, 3,680 polling stations have been identified as high-risk out of approximately 11,000 nationwide.
KATHMANDU: Ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives election, the government has classified around one-third of polling stations across the country as “highly sensitive.”
Following a recent security risk assessment, 3,680 polling stations have been identified as high-risk out of approximately 11,000 nationwide.
According to DIG Avin Narayan Kafle of the Nepal Police, polling stations have been categorized into three levels: highly sensitive, sensitive, and normal.
Of these, 4,442 stations fall under the sensitive category, while 2,845 are considered normal.
The classification considered factors such as political competition intensity, party influence in the area, proximity to borders, past election experiences, presence of new political forces, urban or rural settings, and geographic vulnerabilities.
Different security strategies are being implemented for the Himalayan, hilly, and Terai regions.
The elections on Falgun 21 (March 5) will decide 275 seats in the House of Representatives—165 through direct elections and 110 via the proportional representation system.
The Election Commission has designated 10,967 polling stations and 23,112 polling centers for this election.
Over 300,000 security personnel will be deployed to ensure a safe and peaceful voting process, including roughly 80,000 from the Nepali Army, more than 71,000 from Nepal Police, 35,000 from the Armed Police Force, around 2,000 from the National Investigation Department, and 149,000 election police personnel currently being recruited.
Authorities have assured that all measures are being taken to conduct the elections in a neutral, peaceful, and fear-free environment.
