Army in field from today for March polls security

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 4: The Nepali Army will hit the streets from Wednesday for regular patrolling and other necessary security surveillance to ensure security for the House of Representatives election schedule for March 5, 2026. In line with the plan to mobilise security forces a month ahead of the polling day, the army will begin its field deployment from Wednesday.

The government has decided to mobilise 79,727 Nepali Army personnel for election security. The troops will be visibly deployed in the field from Wednesday, said the Nepali Army Headquarters. 

According to the Integrated Election Security Plan-2082, the deployed army personnel will operate in line with the approved security procedures. Nepali Army Spokesperson and Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet confirmed that the Nepali Army would begin its field deployment from tomorrow. 

“As per the mandate to deploy the army one month prior to the election, troops will be deployed in the field from February 4. All necessary preparations have been completed. The army will be deployed strictly in accordance with the mandate provided by the integrated security plan,” Brigadier Basnet said.

Under the security plan, the Nepali Army will remain in the third layer of election security. Its responsibilities include conducting joint and independent patrols in areas surrounding polling centres, providing security in residential areas of VVIPs and VIP , and safeguarding strategically important locations such as prisons, security agency headquarters, banks and airports.

For this purpose, the army will establish necessary base camps as part of its initial stage of deployment. Support will be coordinated through district-level units including companies, battalions and brigades, as well as provincial divisions.

“To operate in the field, the army must first establish its base. From Wednesday, the deployed troops will focus on setting up these bases, from where all election-related security arrangements will be managed. Necessary support will be provided by district-level and provincial army units,” Basnet said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had already approved the Integrated Election Security Plan 2082 on November 16, 2025. 

Under the plan, a total of 338,890 security personnel, including the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, intelligence personnel and election police, will be deployed during the election period.

Of the total, 79,727 will be from the Nepali Army, 75,497 from the Nepal Police, 34,576 from the Armed Police Force, 149,090 election police personnel, and 1,921 intelligence officers from the National Investigation Department.

Following the approval of joint security procedures among the army, police and armed police force, joint training programmes have already been under way. 

These include joint patrols, drills and surveillance exercises. Security personnel have also received training on strategies for protecting VVIPs and VIPs, identifying and taking action against groups attempting to disrupt the election, preventing possible clashes, ensuring candidate security, and safeguarding ballot boxes.

Election police appointed 

Meanwhile, 149,090 election police personnel selected nationwide received their appointment letters on Sunday. Their training has already commenced and will continue for 10 days, after which they will be deployed in the field for election security. 

Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Abi Narayan Kafle said all selected election police personnel had received their appointment letters and begun training.

“All selected election police across the country received their appointment letters on Sunday. Their training has already started and will continue for 10 days. They will then be deployed in the field to ensure election security,” he said.