The Election Commission (EC) on Monday asked the government to ensure safety of the chief election commissioner and commissioners after the house of CEC Ayodhee Prasad Yadav was damaged in bomb blast.

An unidentified group on Sunday detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at CEC Yadav’s house in Dhapakhel, Lalitpur. The blast has caused severe damage to the house, according to the EC.

“The EC family is shocked by the incident at the house of CEC Yadav under whose leadership the EC held three tiers of elections,” the election body said in a press statement.

“We urge the government to ensure security to the CEC and commissioners and take action against those responsible for the blast as soon as possible.”

DIG Manoj Neupane, spokesperson for Nepal Police said they have launched an investigation into the incident.

According to the EC, the incident took place a week after the government withdrew security personnel deployed at the house of CEC Yadav. It is the fourth time that Yadav’s houses in Lalitpur and Saptari have been targeted in bomb attacks, the election body said in the statement. “CEC Yadav’s houses in Saptari and Lalitpur were targeted twice,” said Election Commissioner Ishwori Paudel.

Election commissioners said they were concerned about their safety as the incident took place right after the security personnel were wthdrawn from Yadav’s house.

Paudel said security personnel were also withdrawn from the houses of four election commissioners after the elections to the House of Representatives.

“We are not asking the government to redeploy the security personnel at our houses. But we urge the government to ensure our safety,” said Poudel.

The government had deployed two security guards at the house of CEC Yadav, and a security guard each at the house of each of the commissioners, according to EC officials. The CEC and commissioners have been continue to personal security officers who travel along with them.

Following the incident, the Home Ministry said it was seriously considering to provide security to the officials of the constitutional bodies.

“We follow a standard procedure on providing security personnel for the VVIPs. The District Administration Office or Home Ministry can make additional security arrangement as per the requirements,” said Home Ministry Spokesperson Ram Krishna Subedi.