Home Minister Urges Citizens to Vote Fearlessly, Assures Robust Security for Upcoming Elections

Kathmandu. Home Minister Omprakash Aryal has urged the public to vote without fear, assuring that the Government of Nepal has strengthened security arrangements for the upcoming House of Representatives elections.

He stated, "The government's top priority is to complete the elections on the scheduled date. Therefore, we have made the security arrangements, considered essential for a fair election, tight and robust. We urge all voters to cast their ballots peacefully and without hesitation."

Minister Aryal mentioned that the government has deployed personnel from the Election Police selection, Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and the National Investigation Department, adding that an integrated security plan has been implemented to strengthen and reinforce security arrangements across the country based on security sensitivity.

Minister Aryal informed that command posts related to the election are functioning at the provincial and district levels through the central command post, election cells are being mobilized through mechanisms envisioned by the integrated security plan, and the Home Ministry administration is working daily by analyzing the situation, needs, and challenges. Responding to a question, he stated that some recent sporadic clashes and incidents will not affect the election.

He further stated that the Home Ministry administration is 'handling' those incidents in a way that keeps them under control and does not impact the election.

Minister Aryal also clarified that the prisoners who escaped and the looted weapons during the J-E-N-G protest in the past Bhadra are no longer a security challenge. He said, "We have already brought back most of the weapons and escaped prisoners. We are working harder than before to bring back those who are still outside. Security personnel are deployed everywhere, and we have requested concerned parties to inform us if they have any such information. So far, there has been no information that escapees have committed further crimes or used those weapons outside. There is no such fear of insecurity now."

In another question, Minister Aryal made it clear that the government has no option but to hold the election on Falgun 21. He stated that since the current government is primarily an election government, it has prioritized the election accordingly, and since the constitution mandates elections within six months of the dissolution of parliament, there is no question of the government or anyone else evading or postponing this election.

"This election can be called a test of our integrity. We have taken an oath to hold a fair election on time and transfer power to the elected government through a democratic process. There is no question of postponing or delaying the election," Minister Aryal said. "We have kept all situations under control and have completed all processes for conducting the election. Not many days are left for voting. Therefore, no one should harbor any suspicion or fear that the election will not happen."