Nepal begins nationwide army deployment ahead of March 5 general elections

Nepal has commenced the nationwide deployment of army troops and security personnel as part of an unprecedented election security operation ahead of the House of Representatives polls scheduled for March 5, 2026 . The deployment, starting on Wednesday, comes nearly a month before voting day and marks the first major election since last year’s Gen‑Z protests that toppled the K P Sharma Oli‑led coalition government .

Under the Integrated Election Security Plan‑2082 , President Ramchandra Paudel approved the mobilisation of security forces following the government’s recommendation to safeguard the polls in a “free, fair and fearless environment,” officials said.

About 79,727 army personnel will be mobilised nationwide to support the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force (APF) and temporary ‘election police’ personnel, forming a multi‑layered security structure aimed at protecting voters, candidates and key infrastructure.

Security forces will be positioned across all 165 constituencies , covering 10,967 polling stations at 23,112 polling centres . Authorities have classified 3,680 polling stations as “highly sensitive,” a significant increase compared with the last general election, reflecting elevated risk assessments in many regions.

The election security architecture consists of three security rings: Nepal Police and election police will form the first or inner ring, the Armed Police Force will make up the second, and the Nepal Army will operate in the third or outer ring , providing patrols, establishing security bases, and assisting with logistical as well as aerial support where needed.

Beyond securing polling stations, the army has been tasked with protecting airports, prisons, hydroelectric plants, important government buildings and other strategic installations throughout the election period — freeing police and APF personnel for frontline duties.

Officials emphasise that the deployment will continue through the pre‑election, election and post‑election phases , including the secure transportation of ballot boxes and protection of vote-counting centres, with integrated coordination among all security agencies.

Home Ministry officials and police leadership have also stressed efforts to counter criminal activity, misinformation, social media manipulation and arms recovery operations ahead of the polls, reflecting broader election security challenges in the run-up to March 5.

Nearly 18.9 million voters are registered for the polls, with tens of thousands of temporary election police hired to assist in security management.

As Nepal prepares for what officials describe as a critical test of its democratic processes, authorities say the robust security deployment aims to ensure stability and confidence in the electoral process amid lingering social and political tensions.