EC directs govt to make security arrangements for NA elections

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has directed the government to ensure security arrangements necessary for holding the National Assembly (NA) elections scheduled for January 25 in a cordial atmosphere.

A meeting of the EC today directed the government to make the NA-election related security arrangements in coordination of the Home Ministry in involvement with security agencies.

The government has been urged to consider potential security challenges for voters, election candidates, offices of the election officers, election employees, and for the management of election logistics and in the voting stations and put security arrangements in place accordingly, according to EC assistant spokesperson Shreedhar Panthi.

The EC has set up the offices of the election officers in its province offices in Morang, Dhanusha, Makwanpur, Kaski, Dang, Surkhet and Kailali.  It has sought the security arrangements in those routes using the election voters for visiting polling stations and in their residential areas as well.

Province Assembly members, chairs and vice chairs of rural municipalities, mayors and deputy mayors of municipalities are the voters of NA election.

The EC has directed for coordination hoteliers in the districts where polling centers have been established to facilitate voters with accommodation at their personal expenses and the coordination with the respective District Administration Office during the movement of voters and for the security of polling centers and stations.

It has also urged the district election security committee to deliver actively to ensure the effective and reliable election security arrangements.