Nepal Army to mobilise 80,000 troops nationwide for the April 2026 local elections — one of the largest such operations in recent history.
Troops to act as deterrent against violence, booth capturing and intimidation; Nepal Police and APF to handle primary duties.
Move comes amid opposition accusations of electoral manipulation and concerns over regional/ethnic tensions in Terai and hills.
The massive deployment — one of the largest in recent years — will see troops stationed at sensitive polling stations, district headquarters, border areas and major urban centres to prevent violence, booth capturing, intimidation and any attempts to disrupt the electoral process. The decision comes amid rising political tensions between the ruling coalition (led by Nepali Congress and CPN-UML) and the opposition alliance, as well as concerns over ethnic and regional flare-ups in the Terai and hill districts.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak said the army's role would be strictly supportive: “The Nepal Police and Armed Police Force will handle day-to-day security, but the army will be deployed as a deterrent force to guarantee that every voter can exercise their franchise without fear.” The mobilisation includes reserve units on standby in Kathmandu Valley and eastern and western commands.
The announcement follows weeks of allegations from opposition parties that the ruling coalition is attempting to manipulate voter lists and misuse state machinery. Leaders from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Maoist Centre have welcomed the army deployment, viewing it as a safeguard against potential rigging, while some smaller parties criticised it as “militarisation of elections.”
Nepal has a history of deploying the army during major polls — around 60,000 personnel were mobilised for the 2022 federal and provincial elections. The higher number this time reflects the larger number of local bodies going to polls simultaneously (over 750 municipalities and rural municipalities) and heightened security concerns after sporadic clashes during by-elections in 2025.
The Election Commission welcomed the move, stating it would help maintain law and order in remote and conflict-prone areas. Deployment is expected to begin in phases from mid-February, with full strength in place by March.
