Guarding polling stations, protecting voters’ trust

With the March 5 election drawing near, the government has doubled down on its commitment to strong security measures to make voting safe and fair. This election, like all in the past, cannot be left to chance, and the rules cannot be overlooked as this election, a mid-term one, is taking place under special circumstances. As such the Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that it would tighten surveillance at polling centers believed to be sensitive and highly sensitive ones. At the same time, the Election Commission has stepped up checks on campaign violations, false information, and hate speech. These measures have been put in place to keep all sorts of fear, pressure, and bias away from voters. Of the 10,967 polling locations nationwide, 3,680 are now under close watch, while another 4,442 are placed on the sensitive list due to past violence, tensions, or tough terrain. Alongside this, the commission has begun flagging harmful content and breaches of the code, sending hundreds of cases for action under existing laws. The Home Ministry is handling all security aspects through layered deployment of the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, and the Army. It is also working at the ward level with political representatives and community figures. The commission is looking after fairness, keeping tabs on false claims, abusive speech, and misuse of influence, and asking parties and candidates to answer for their actions.