CHITWAN: A total of 11 licensed arms have been voluntarily submitted to the local administration in Chitwan district in view of the March 5 election to House of Representatives.

According to Ganesh Aryal, Chief District Officer (CDO) of Chitwan, a total of 141 individuals in the district hold official licenses to possess arms.

Earlier, to ensure that the election is conducted in a free, fair, peaceful, and credible manner, the local administration had issued a public notice on January 20 requesting licensed arm holders to temporarily deposit their weapons within 15 days.

Although the deadline for submission is over, not all licensed weapons have been returned yet.The administration noted that some firearms may be stored outside the district or deposited with authorities in other districts, and records from those areas are still being collected.

CDO Aryal also clarified that firearms used by banks for security purposes are exempt from submission, as they are essential for safeguarding financial institutions.

For other license holders, a system has been arranged allowing firearms to be deposited during the election period and reclaim afterward, said Aryal.