Nepal begins deploying army for Constituent Assembly polls

Kathmandu: Nepal on Sunday began deploying 62,000 army personnel in all the constituencies to provide security for the November 19 Constituent Assembly elections. The army will be deployed as part of an integrated security planning in all 240 constituencies to provide security at all polling stations and surrounding areas. Some 62,000 Nepal Army personnel have been deployed for the Constituent Assembly polls, sources at Nepal Army headquarters here said. President Ram Baran Yadav recently endorsed an ordinance that authorised the government to mobilise army personnel for the election purpose. The government has decided to mobilise over 1,50,000 security forces, including Nepal Army, Police, Armed Police Forces, and hired some 30,000 temporary security personnel to guarantee full proof security during the polls. There will be more than 10,000 polling booths during the elections, and the government is making four-tier security arrangements for the polls. Some 12.3 million eligible voters will exercise their voting rights during the second Constituent Assembly elections that would draft a new Constitution. The Constituent Assembly will have in total 601 members of which 240 will be directly elected. There is a provision to elect 58 per cent of the members through proportional representation system. Information and Communication Minister Madhav Poudel said the government has completed all the preparations to conduct the polls on November 19 in a free and fair manner. He said that government has prepared a detailed security plan for ensuring security for election candidates and voters. "We have provided full security for the candidates and complete security will be arranged for voters on the election day," Poudel said.