KATHMANDU: President Ram Chandra Paudel has instructed the heads of the country’s security agencies to guarantee that the upcoming elections are held in a free, fair, and fear-free environment, urging them to instill public confidence in the process.
During a meeting held at the Office of the President in Sheetal Niwas on Saturday, attended by interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, several ministers, and chiefs of the four security agencies, President Paudel emphasized the need for bold and decisive action to maintain peace and order during the elections.
“The President directed the security agencies to act boldly to ensure a fearless environment for the polls,” said Kiran Pokharel, the President’s press adviser. Paudel also called for the immediate recovery of weapons looted on September 9 and the re-arrest of escaped inmates.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Karki assured that the interim government would leave no stone unturned to hold the elections in a fair and secure manner. She said the government was fully prepared and would provide all necessary resources and logistical support to the security agencies.
Security chiefs, meanwhile, assured the President that their institutions were capable of maintaining law and order and conducting the elections peacefully. They recalled that the agencies had successfully managed elections under even more challenging circumstances in the past.
Those present at the meeting included Prime Minister Karki, all ministers except the finance minister, Chief of Army Staff Ashok Sigdel, Inspector General of Police Chandrakuber Khapung, Armed Police Force chief Raju Aryal, and National Investigation Department chief Tekendra Karki.
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