Integrated Security Plan for by-elections endorsed

KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has passed the Integrated Security Plan prepared for the purpose of the by-election on November 30 with revisions.

A meeting of the High-level Security Committee chaired by Election Commissioner Ishwari Prasad Poudyal endorsed the Plan presented by the security bodies with revision. Poudyal is the coordinator of the Committee.

The meeting decided to make appropriate security arrangements by categorizing the polling centers for the by-elections as normal, sensitive and highly sensitive after analyzing the overall security situation, Election Commissioner Poudyal said.

The government has decided to mobilize 6,000 Nepal Police personnel and 10,000 personnel each of the Armed Police Force and Nepal Army for maintaining security in the by-election.

Commissioner Poudyal said the polling centers have been classified as normal, sensitive and highly sensitive for making proper security arrangements for the by-poll by incorporating the suggestions put forth on the security plan brought by the security bodies.

According to him, security personnel have been already mobilized art several places in the context of making the security arrangements at the classified polling centers while they would be mobilized in a few days in some places.

On the occasion, the secretaries at the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Defence assured the meeting that adequate security arrangements have been made in places where the by-election is going to be held.