Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal on urged all stakeholders to proceed confidently with preparations for the upcoming House of Representatives election, assuring that the government is committed to ensuring a peaceful and fear-free voting environment for citizens.
Khanal made the remarks while visiting Baglung for on-site monitoring of election preparations. He said the government is making arrangements to ensure that voters can exercise their franchise in a calm and secure atmosphere.
Calling on all concerned parties to engage in election preparations without hesitation, the finance minister expressed confidence that citizens would be able to cast their votes without fear. During his visit, he inspected the Office of the Chief Election Officer in Baglung, the District Election Office, and the District Administration Office.
Security Preparedness and Coordination Among Agencies
Following the inspections, Khanal attended a meeting of the district-level security committee, where he was briefed on election-time security arrangements, police deployment, and related matters. Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Acharya said the finance minister gathered detailed information on security preparedness.
The finance minister stated that there would be no shortage of resources for conducting the election. “Making the election successful is everyone’s responsibility. Ensuring security arrangements and implementing the code of conduct are our duties,” he said.
“The government will leave no gap in ensuring that the election is held in a fear-free environment. If any problems arise, they will be addressed immediately. Coordination and cooperation among stakeholders are essential so that citizens can vote in an accessible and secure environment.”
Khanal also sought updates on the district’s overall security situation, details of polling centers, and the status of code of conduct enforcement. Chief Election Officer Sita Sharma Adhikari briefed him on the prevailing law and order situation, implementation of the election code of conduct, and the progress of election preparations to date.
Election Readiness and Voter Statistics in Baglung
The finance minister, who arrived in Baglung on Thursday , also held discussions with security agencies, the chief election officer, and election office officials regarding election readiness and the district’s overall situation. He later departed for Burtibang to inspect the Office of the Election Officer for Constituency No. 2.
During the visit, Khanal instructed security agencies to remain alert and proactively counter false and misleading information that may circulate during the election period. Election officials, including the chief election officer, Chief District Officer Acharya, and Superintendent of Police Tilak Bharti, informed the minister that preparations were progressing smoothly and that no violations of the election code of conduct had been reported so far.
Baglung district comprises 10 local levels and 85 wards and is divided into two House of Representatives constituencies. According to the District Election Office, 107 polling stations and 230 polling centers have been designated for the election scheduled for Falgun 21.
A total of 193,381 voters are registered in Baglung. Twenty-three candidates are contesting for the two House of Representatives seats.
