The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the application deadline for election police in 36 districts after fewer applications were received.

Around 150,000 temporary election police are to be deployed for 40 days—133,980 under the Nepal Police and 15,110 under the Armed Police Force (APF). Applications opened nationwide on January 9 at district police offices. While nearly 200,000 applications have been submitted overall, several districts in Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and Sudurpashchim provinces have received fewer applicants than required.

In Koshi, nine districts—Dhankuta, Ilam, Panchthar, Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu and Taplejung—fell short. Bagmati has eight districts with low applications, Gandaki’s 11 districts, including Gorkha, Manang and Kaski, have not met the target, and Palpa, Gulmi, Arghakhanchi and Pyuthan in Lumbini, as well as Doti, Achham, Dadeldhura and Baitadi in Sudurpashchim, have also extended deadlines.

Police officials cited the large number of temporary posts and growing interest in overseas employment as reasons for the shortfall. They added that some eligible applicants prefer to vote rather than serve, as deployed election police are ineligible to cast ballots.

In previous elections, applications exceeded requirements. For the 2022 parliamentary elections, 115,000 posts attracted 232,088 applicants, while around 100,000 posts for local elections drew about 300,000 applications. Former temporary police, security personnel, and forest rangers have applied this time as well, but they account for less than 20 percent of total applications, according to Nepal Police Headquarters.

A total of 337,000 security personnel—including the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, APF and 150,000 temporary election police—will be deployed for elections scheduled on March 5.

Election police will receive a 40-day salary of Rs34,000, uniforms, and ration allowance, along with travel, meal and clothing allowances depending on the district. All payments will be transferred directly to their bank accounts, and personnel injured or killed on duty will receive government compensation.

The Election Commission has fixed 10,967 polling areas and 23,112 polling centres nationwide. District-level election police selection committees, headed by the chief district officer, will oversee recruitment.

Applicants must be Nepali citizens aged 18–54, physically and mentally fit, with no criminal convictions or political party affiliations, and not members of terrorist organisations. Minimum height for men is 5 feet, chest 31–33 inches, weight 50 kg; for women, height 4 feet 10 inches, weight 42 kg, and must not be pregnant.

The application deadline for districts with low submissions has been extended to Saturday, after which the selection process will proceed.