Madhesh Province Establishes Over 4,000 Polling Stations for Upcoming House of Representatives Election; Security Classified into Three Tiers

Janakpur. Over four thousand polling stations have been designated in Madhesh Province for the upcoming election to the House of Representatives. A total of 4,471 polling stations have been set up across all eight districts of the province.

To ensure the election proceeds peacefully, the police have prepared an election security plan. After inspecting polling sites in all districts, the police have classified them into three categories based on the level of security challenge.

Following the Janji Movement, the police have categorized polling stations into three tiers from a security challenge perspective: Normal, Sensitive, and Highly Sensitive.

According to Madhesh Police, security strategies have been formulated based on the classification of polling centers across all eight districts, particularly those posing security challenges. Madhesh Police informed that centers with security challenges have been classified as Highly Sensitive, while those without challenges are placed in the Normal category.

Police sources indicate that 1,237 polling stations across Madhesh have been placed on the Highly Sensitive list. DIG Govinda Thapaliya, Chief of Madhesh Police, stated that this classification was made based on the study by security committees in all eight districts. He added that only 160 polling stations across the eight districts have been classified as Normal.

• How Many Polling Stations are Highly Sensitive in Each District?

Polling stations in seven districts of Madhesh, excluding Parsa, fall under the Highly Sensitive classification. From a security perspective, polling stations in Saptari district have been placed in the highest 'Red Zone'.

Madhesh Police reported that out of 296 polling stations here, 209 have been listed as Highly Sensitive.

Similarly, Madhesh Police provided information that 154 polling stations in Siraha, 194 in Dhanusha, 163 in Mahottari, 158 in Sarlahi, 152 in Rautahat, and 145 in Bara have been placed on the Highly Sensitive list.

Across all eight districts of the province, 763 polling stations have been placed on the Sensitive list. Sarlahi has the highest number of polling stations, 131, on the Sensitive list.

Madhesh Police Chief Thapaliya stated that security personnel will be deployed according to the integrated security plan for Highly Sensitive, Sensitive, and Normal polling stations.

• Over 50,000 Joint Security Forces to be Deployed in Madhesh Alone

A strategy has been prepared to deploy police forces accordingly at polling stations facing security challenges. Preparations are underway to deploy a large number of Nepal Police, Election Police, Armed Police Force, and Army across the eight districts. It has been reported that over 50,000 joint security forces from all three security agencies are being prepared for deployment in Madhesh.

According to Madhesh Police, Nepal Police and Election Police will be deployed in the inner perimeter of the polling centers. The security plan formulated by the Madhesh Province Police Office indicates that the Armed Police Force will be deployed in the outer perimeter, and the Nepali Army in the outermost perimeter.

Madhesh Police stated that preparations are being made to deploy around 40,000 Nepal Police and Election Police across the eight districts of Madhesh.

Likewise, the Armed Police Force Madhesh Province stated that preparations are underway to deploy 10,000 police personnel from the Armed Police Force. In addition, the Nepali Army will also be mobilized.

Military sources indicated that the deployment numbers for the Army in Madhesh are yet to be finalized. The Nepali Army has informed that the Army will be mobilized according to the integrated election security plan.