Kathmandu, Nepal – As the date for the upcoming federal parliamentary elections approaches, Nepal is preparing for a robust security arrangement to ensure a peaceful, independent, and fair voting process. Starting from Wednesday, security forces across the country, under the coordination of the Nepal Army, will be deployed in accordance with the Integrated Security Plan 2082 to ensure a secure environment during the elections. The government has already approved and implemented the security plan to safeguard the election process.
With only one month remaining until the elections on Magh 21, 2082, the security forces are gearing up to strengthen the security measures, making them more efficient and effective. The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force Nepal, and the National Investigation Department will be operational under a unified security plan to maintain peace and order.
As part of the security arrangements, “election police” personnel recruited specifically for the election period will be deployed to manage various security tasks. Nepal Police and Election Police will be responsible for securing the inner perimeters of polling stations, while the Armed Police Force will handle the second-tier security, coordinating closely with the Army and Police.
The Nepal Army will be stationed on the outer perimeter, taking charge of crucial security responsibilities. According to the Nepal Army, all 165 electoral constituencies will have army personnel stationed from Wednesday onward to ensure the safety of voters, candidates, and election workers. On December 11, 2023, President Ramchandra Paudel authorized the deployment of the army in accordance with a recommendation from the Prime Minister and the Cabinet’s decision.
Nepal’s military is prepared to deploy 80,000 personnel for election security. Army spokesperson, Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet, confirmed that the military will operate in phases, including setting up necessary bases and conducting joint patrols with other security forces.
The army will oversee security in three key stages: before, during, and after the election. This includes responsibilities such as ballot printing, transportation, ensuring the safety of polling stations and ballot boxes, and securing the vote counting process. In coordination with Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force, the Nepal Army will also manage the security of critical infrastructures like airports and prisons.
During the voting process, the army will secure third-tier perimeters, ensuring the safety of political parties, candidates, voters, and election officials. The military will work closely with all relevant agencies to guarantee a peaceful electoral environment.
In total, 3,406 candidates will be competing in this year’s parliamentary elections. The Election Commission of Nepal enforced the Election Code of Conduct from January 18, 2026. A total of 89,403,689 voters will be participating, including 92,440,131 women and 96,633,358 men.
There will be 10,967 polling stations across the country with 23,112 polling booths set up for the elections. To ensure smooth operations, 77,000 Nepal Police personnel will be deployed, supplemented by 133,000 election police recruits.
For security, the election commission has categorized polling stations into three levels: 2,845 normal, 4,442 sensitive, and 3,680 highly sensitive. Security forces have already reinforced safety protocols at these stations to prevent any untoward incidents.
The Armed Police Force will contribute 34,576 personnel, and 15,110 election police recruits, bringing the total to 49,686 security personnel. High vigilance will be maintained throughout the election process, with security forces on standby to respond to any emergency within 10 minutes.
Authorities are committed to ensuring that the elections are conducted in a secure and peaceful environment, providing full protection for all participants, including voters, candidates, and election staff.
