POKHARA: One-third of the polling stations in Kaski district are classified as ‘highly sensitive’. Out of the 150 such stations, the Election Security Committee has identified 50 as highly sensitive and the remaining as either ‘sensitive’ or ‘normal’ in terms of election security threat.
The voting stations at Pokhara Metropolitan City wards have been categorized as normal while those in the rural municipalities have been kept in the highly sensitive and sensitive category. The Election Security Committee classified the polling stations based on the road distance, geographical condition, past incidents and the present security situation, among other factors, said Deputy Superintendent Sundar Tiwari, the spokesperson at the District Police Office.
However, as he said there is no security challenge even at the polling stations categorized as highly sensitive. “Although there is no security threat in any of the polling station, the security has been strengthened keeping in mind the possible challenges,” he added.
Spokesperson Tiwari said they are observing the situation for conducting the election peacefully by identifying the parties from those boycotting the election to those taking part but seeking to use force.
The security cover at the polling stations is managed in three layers. The inner layer comprises of Nepal Police who will be supported by the Myadi (temporary) police, the middle layer consists of the Armed Police Force and the outer layer comprises of Nepali Army.
There are 336 polling booths at 150 voting stations in the Kaski district. Pokhara Metropolis has 98 polling stations with 242 polling booths.
Around 6,200 employees, security personnel mobilized in Banke
NEPALGUNJ: Around 6,200 employees and security personnel have been mobilized for local-level election in Banke district.
Chief District Officer, Surya Bahadur Khatri, aid that around 2,200 employees of civil service and corporations as well as more than 4,000 security personnel have been mobilized in the district for local polls taking place on Friday.
There are 136 voting centres and 379 polling booths in the district. Out of 136 voting centres, 105 voting centres have been included in the most sensitive list while 30 voting centres have been kept in sensitive list by reviewing the security challenges.
Similarly, Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilized separately for the security.
He further said that security arrangement has been made by categorizing the voting centres as the most-sensitive and sensitive keeping the security sensitivity in mind as Banke shares borders with India.
Movement via checkpoints has been completely banned from May 10 midnight to May 14 midnight as per the bilateral agreement to close Nepal-India border for 72 hours in order to hold local-level polls in a peaceful manner.
A total of 329,473 voters are participating in the election in Banke. The district has one sub-metropolis, one municipality and six rural municipalities.
Two voting centres of Hetauda sub-metropolis get women polling officers
HETAUDA: Two voting centres of Hetauda have got women polling officers for local-level election taking place across the nation on Friday.
According to the office of the Chief Returning Officer, out of 19 wards of Hetauda sub-metropolis, women polling officers have been deputed at two voting centres.
Assistant returning officer at the office of the Chief Returning Officer, Sagar Sharma, said that polling officer Bishnu Kumari Lamichhane and assistant polling officer Krishna Kumari Kharel have been deputed at voting centre of Siddhartha Secondary School (D) in ward no 12.
Similarly, voting officer Shantimaya Moktan and assistant voting officer Anu Kumari Lama have been deployed at voting centre of Mahendra Secondary School (D) in ward no 12.
Election teams along with ballot papers have already reached at all voting centres of Hetauda sub-metropolis.
Different voting centres, polling booths monitored in Bhaktapur
BHAKTAPUR: Different voting centres and polling booths were monitored in Bhaktapur district on Wednesday.
A team under the coordination of Chief District Officer, Rudra Devi Sharma, monitored the voting centres, polling booths and vote counting centres at different places in the district.
Sharma said that they took the information about the condition and preparation of voting centres and vote counting.
Similarly, Madhyapurthimi-based office of the Returning Officer also monitored the different voting centres in the district on Wednesday.
Assistant Returning Officer, Keshav Silwal said that they inspected the voting centres to make necessary preparation, taking the information whether the Election Code of Conduct was followed or not during silence period and condition of voting centres.
Silwal shared that they in course of inspection asked the bodies concerned to remove different political parties’ publicity materials including flags, flex and brochures from voting centres.
Meanwhile, an unidentified group has vandalized the office of the Valley’s Municipal Forum at Gatthaghar on Wednesday.
Police Inspector of Metropolitan Police Circle, Thimi, Nirmal Thapa, shared that the office of Garima Saving and Credit Co-operative Limited located at the same house was also vandalized.
He further said a special team of police inspected the incident sites and collected the details of loss. Investigation into the case was underway and search for those involved in the incident were underway, said Thapa.