Election-centric security tightened in Mahottari

By Rabindra Upreti, Bardibas, Nov. 15: As the date of the election for the House of Representatives and Provincial Assemblies is just days away, the security and the government officials have started tightening the security arrangements in Mahottari district. 

The District Administration Office said that some groups after calling for disrupting the upcoming elections intensified anti-election activities, so the security arrangements had been tightened. 

The Nepali Army is said to have arranged election-centric security, preventing any untoward activity so far. 

According to District Election Office Mahottari, 258 polling stations and 501 polling centres, including two temporary ones, have been set up in four constituencies of the House of Representatives (HoR).

Chief District Officer Deepak Pahari claimed that reliable security arrangements have been made at all polling stations.

According to Pahari, based on the analysis of the situational conditions of the constituencies and polling centres, the security system has been strengthened by classifying the polling places.

It is a challenge in itself to conduct elections in a peaceful and fear-free environment in Mahottari, which shares a 39km open border with two districts of Sitamadhi and Madhubani in the Indian state of Bihar.  

For this, it is said that communication is being done with the Indian counterparts to implement the decisions passed by the ‘cross-border’ meeting with the counter parts of Sitamadhi district in Malangwa, Sarlahi a few days ago.

According to Assistant Chief District Officer Upendra Neupane, both the security forces of the border area will set up security posts and check the vehicles carefully from one week ahead of the election. The respective police stations of the patrol route will conduct joint patrols by exchanging information. 

Neupane said that he is in contact with his Indian counterpart to control crimes that may occur through the open border. He said that a similar agreement was reached in the meeting held at Jayanagar in Madhubani district of India on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police Krishna Prasad Pangeni said that out of 258 polling stations across the district, 143 (55 percent) polling stations are highly sensitive, 114 are sensitive and only one is classified as normal, and security arrangements have been made accordingly. 

According to the District Security Committee, the polling place has been classified based on social and cultural environment, social psychology, past events, geographical location, voter sentiment and political activities.

Pageni said that election-centered security has been tightened at three levels. 

“We have arranged tight security arrangements for safe and fearless election here,” Pagani said. Liquor sales have been banned in district 

Meanwhile, the District Administration has restricted selling, distributing and consuming alcohols and other intoxicants until election is over. The ban came into effect on November 14. 

The Mahottari Administration Office has informed that alcohol has been banned in accordance with the Local Administration Act 2028 on the recommendation of the Election Security Management and District Security Committee.

Assistant CDO Neupane said that strict action would be taken against those violating the rules. Neupane said that the security agencies have been keeping a close eye on all activities and lawbreakers would be brought to justice. 

It has been said that the decision to ban alcohol was made due to its widespread abuse that may adversely affect the security and disrupt peace.

There are 377 liquor shops registered only in Gaushala, Bardibas and Mithila Nagar area, which is under the jurisdiction of Taxpayer Service Office in Bardibas. According to the office, Rs. 123.6 million in revenue have been collected from excise duty, income tax and VAT from such shops from July through November 13.

According to Sudhir Kumar Singh, acting head of the office, if the administration bans the sale and distribution of alcohol for a limited period, it will not make any difference in revenue collection.

Due to lack of information about the information issued by the administration, most of the liquor shops were open on Monday and three of them were found doing business, according to the liquor businessmen.