SUDURPASCHIM: Authorities have classified the Bajura, Achham, Darchula, and Bajhang districts of Sudurpashchim Province as sensitive from an election security perspective and are strengthening security arrangements accordingly.

Provincial Police Office Dhangadhi spokesperson and Senior Superintendent of Police Padam Bahadur Bista said the assessment was based on an analysis of incidents from past elections, with potential disruptive elements placed under surveillance.

Special arrangements are being made to transport ballot boxes by helicopter from Himalayan and remote polling stations.

Due to possible snowfall, alternative voting arrangements are also underway, including allowing winter migrants from Tinkar and Changrung in Darchula to vote at the district headquarters.

Similar discussions are ongoing for migrant families from Himalayan areas of Bajura who may not return by polling day.

To strengthen security, vehicles are being arranged for police offices lacking them, and separate police teams led by senior superintendents of police will oversee clusters of districts.

Under the election security plan, 7,374 Nepal Police personnel and 13,669 temporary Election Police will be deployed across the province, alongside the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army.

Of the province’s polling stations, 302 are categorized as normal, 395 as sensitive, and 481 as highly sensitive.

Sudurpashchim has 16 House of Representatives constituencies across nine districts, with 1,716,660 registered voters from a population of 2,694,783. The House election is scheduled for March 5.