Armed police to contain violence

January 24, 2001
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Kathmandu, Jan. 24 : His Majesty’s Government will mobilize the armed police to control armed struggles, armed insurgency or secessionist activity, terrorist activity and religious and communal riots taking place or likely to take place in any part of the Kingdom of Nepal.

This is stated in the Armed Police Ordinance 2057 B.S. promulgated by His Majesty the King on Jan. 22.

The armed police can be mobilized in supporting rescue work in any part of the country at times of natural calamity and epidemics, in rescuing any Nepalese citizen or other nationals if they are abducted, controlling crimes of serious nature and disturbances of high magnitude and preempting such incidents, ensuring security along the border areas, supporting the Royal Nepal Army at times of external invasion, ensuring security of buildings, structures and other places of public importance specified by the government and ensuring security at times of parliamentary and local level elections.

The ordinance provides for an armed police force in the Kingdom of Nepal and the posts of the armed police personnel will be as specified by His Majesty’s Government. The armed police force will be under the command of the inspector general of armed police and it will be headquartered in Kathmandu valley. Other offices under the armed police headquarters will be as specified.

A central security committee headed by the Home Minister or Minister of State for Home will be formed to provide necessary suggestions to His Majesty’s Government for all these purposes.

The central security committee will have the chief of general staff of the Royal Nepal Army, the secretaries at the Ministries of Defense and Home, the inspector general of police, the inspector general of armed police and the head of the National Investigation Department as members. A joint secretary at the Home Ministry will serve as member-secretary of the committee.

According to the ordinance, the terms and conditions of the armed police force provide for an armed Police Service Commission, departmental action, punishment and appeal and the formation of an armed police special court. The ordinance has also specified the duty and rights of the armed police and a provision for punishment of crime.

The ordinance also provides for a central coordination committee at the centre and other coordination committees at regional and district level can be formed to maintain coordination between the armed police force and other police organisations so as to ensure peace and security in the country.

The central coordination committee will comprise the secretary at the Home Ministry as convenor and the inspector general police and the inspector general of armed police as members, while the office bearers of the regional and district level coordination committees will be as specified.