Kathmandu, February 9: Nepal is set to hold parliamentary elections on March 5. In preparation, security officials from Nepal and India have agreed to close border checkpoints for 72 hours to ensure safe voting.
On Friday, a coordination meeting at the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) level took place in Biratnagar, Morang district, between the Armed Police Force (APF) of Nepal and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) of India. Both sides agreed to tighten border controls to prevent the infiltration of unwanted elements that could disrupt the elections.
APF spokesperson DIG Bishnu Prasad Bhatt stated that they requested the Indian side to close the border checkpoints two days before the elections, and the proposal was accepted. According to the agreement, the checkpoints will remain closed for three days, including the election day.
Bhatt noted that closing border checkpoints before elections is a common practice between the two countries. He emphasized the need to restrict the movement of unwanted groups across the border, especially since heavy security deployments are expected at polling stations during the elections.
The APF reported that both parties discussed border security, control of cross-border crimes, prevention of illegal entry of third-country nationals, human trafficking, counterfeit currency, arms and ammunition, as well as drug trafficking and trade.
India has repeatedly expressed concerns about the potential infiltration of Kashmiri and Pakistani terrorists taking advantage of the open border between Nepal and India.
The meeting also covered the security of border pillars, facilitating the movement of travelers, joint patrols, disaster rescue exercises, and organizing joint sporting activities.
Both sides agreed to identify sensitive border points, assess potential risks, monitor the activities of refugees and migrants, and conduct regular inspections at various levels.
