The Nepali Army has finalized a massive strategic plan to deploy approximately 80,000 personnel—roughly 95% of its total strength—to ensure security for the upcoming elections scheduled for March 5.
The decision follows the Election Commission’s finalization of polling centers, prompting the Army to begin establishing bases across various constituencies. Army Spokesperson, Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet, confirmed that while the approved strength of the force stands at 96,000, nearly the entire active force will be mobilized for the democratic exercise.
Deployment and strategic shifts
Currently, the Army is in its pre-election operational phase. "We are conducting various levels of training, joint exercises with other security agencies, and district-level coordination," stated Brigadier General Basnet. He added that under the Integrated Security Plan, troops will be fully deployed to the field one month prior to the voting date.
As part of a strategic realignment to free up civil police forces for election-specific duties, the Nepal Army will take over several critical security responsibilities. The Army will assume full responsibility for the country's airports.
Security of correctional facilities, currently managed by the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF), will be handed over to the Army. Similarly, protection of key government establishments and infrastructure will also shift to Army control. These handovers allow the Nepal Police and APF to focus their manpower on polling station security and crowd management.
Command structure and coordination
In line with standard electoral protocols, the Nepali Army will maintain the third tier of security. While the role remains consistent with previous elections, the Army has emphasized flexibility based on the evolving security situation.
The logistics of the deployment are being managed through a hierarchical reporting system. Units have identified manpower requirements and reported to their respective Brigades (Bahini). Brigades will manage manpower within their sectors, shifting personnel from surplus to deficit districts. If Brigades cannot meet the requirements, the Divisions will intervene to manage the overall regional security arrangement.
Preparations continue
The President has already granted formal approval for the mobilization of the Army. Security seminars have been completed in five provinces, with sessions for Madhesh and Bagmati provinces scheduled to take place soon. These seminars involve Chief District Officers and heads of all security agencies to ensure a unified approach.
Parallel to security preparations, the Election Commission has begun printing voter lists since Friday. Currently, the Commission is verifying the closed lists for proportional representation (PR) candidates submitted by 64 political parties.
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