KATHMANDU: The Election Commission has recommended that the government mobilize all four security agencies—including the Nepal Army—under a unified security plan to ensure a safe and secure environment for the upcoming elections.

Political parties have repeatedly urged both the government and the Commission to prioritize security, arguing that a stable security environment is the first condition for credible elections.

Commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said the Commission has formally written to the government requesting the deployment of all security agencies under an integrated, election-focused security framework. “Implementing a unified security plan during elections is an established practice.

All security agencies will operate under a single coordinated plan. Our correspondence to the government is aimed at ensuring coordinated mobilization,” he said.

Bhattarai added that the decision on when and how to activate the plan will depend on the government. According to constitutional provisions, the Nepal Army can be mobilized or placed under operational control only through a Cabinet decision based on a recommendation from the National Security Council. The Council is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes the Ministers of Defence, Home, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, the Chief Secretary, and the Chief of the Army Staff.

The Nepal Army has long been deployed during past elections, but political parties argue that recent incidents—such as weapons looted during the ‘Gen Z’ protests and prison escapes by inmates—have undermined confidence in the security environment.

A meeting of the Commission’s High-Level Security Committee on October 31 decided that the integrated security plan, including the deployment of the Nepal Army, should not be delayed, citing the need to boost security agencies’ confidence and ensure smooth campaigning for political parties.

Acting on that recommendation, the Commission’s leadership, in its Kartik 18 meeting, formally urged the government to implement the unified, election-focused security plan without further delay.