The government has said security forces have been kept on alert ahead of the February 8 municipal elections.

Minister of State for Information and Communication, Sirish Shumsher Rana (File Photo)

Minister of State for Information and Communication, Sirish Shumsher Rana (File Photo)
Speaking at a press briefing at the Department of Information in Kathmandu on Monday, government spokesperson and Minister of State for Information and Communication, Sirish Shumsher Rana, claimed that the government has made necessary security arrangements for the elections and that significant number of voters would cast their votes on Wednesday.

“Security forces have been kept on alert to ensure security during the elections,” minister Rana said, “Candidates registered their candidacies daring the Maoist bullets. The government believes the voters will go to cast their votes.”

He said the army has been given ‘certain responsibilities’ to ensure security for the polls.

Reiterating the government’s argument that the elections are meant to consolidate the representative system, minister Rana said the objective of the elections is to reinstate the civic rights.

“It is unfortunate that a sizeable number of organised people are boycotting the elections,” he said referring to the anti-election drive of the seven agitating political parties. He insisted that no political section had right to pressure anybody to boycott elections.

When asked how the elections would be free and fair at a time when hundreds of opposition political leaders and activists, human rights defenders and journalists, have been detained, the minister said the arrests were ‘need-based’ as they asked the voters not to cast their votes. The detained persons, according to him, would be released soon.

Voting is going to take place in 58 municipalities including Kathmandu Metropolitan City and five sub-metropolitan cities around the country on Wednesday.

Speaking further, the government spokesperson claimed that a section of the international community had been trying to turn Nepal as a ‘rogue state’. “But we are not going to become one,” said he without making naming the international party.

He also informed that the government was going to introduce new media law as it lacks authority to take action against ‘irresponsible’ journalists and the media houses.