Following formal approval from President Ramchandra Paudel, the Nepali Army has begun a large-scale mobilization across all 165 electoral constituencies as of yesterday, February 4. The deployment marks the final month-long countdown to the General Elections scheduled for March 5, 2026.
Massive Security Apparatus
The Ministry of Home Affairs has activated an “Integrated Election Security Plan” that involves a staggering 338,890 security personnel. This multi-tiered force includes:
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79,727 Nepali Army personnel providing the third layer of security and aerial patrolling.
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133,980 “Election Police” (temporary recruits) who began field training this week.
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75,497 Nepal Police and 34,576 Armed Police Force (APF) officers.
Army spokesperson Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet confirmed that while some units were already assisting with ballot paper transport, the full field deployment is now active. Soldiers are also replacing police units at airports and prisons to free up more officers for frontline election duty.
Focus on “Highly Sensitive” Zones
The mobilization comes in response to a heightened security assessment. The Election Commission has classified 3,680 polling stations as “highly sensitive”—a significant increase from previous elections. Security is being tightened particularly in the Koshi and Madhesh provinces, as well as remote districts like Bajura and Bajhang, where the threat of “booth capturing” and ballot manipulation has historically been high.
Security experts note that this election carries extra weight following the “Gen Z” protests of late 2025, which led to significant political upheaval. To counter potential unrest, security forces are utilizing CCTV surveillance and drone cameras in high-risk areas for the first time on such a massive scale.
The Mission: Free and Fair Polls
The primary mandate for the 80,000 soldiers on the ground is to ensure a “fearless environment” for Nepal’s 18.9 million eligible voters. Beyond guarding the physical booths, the Army is tasked with the secure transportation of ballot boxes and providing a deterrent against the inflammatory rhetoric or clashes that often precede polling day.
As of this morning, joint patrols are visible in the capital and major district headquarters, signaling the state’s intent to maintain a strict “zero-tolerance” policy toward electoral violence.