With just two days to go before the March 5 House of Representatives elections, Nepal entered the silence period at midnight on Monday. Security agencies have ramped up measures in Jhapa-5 and Sarlahi-4, constituencies widely regarded as electoral hotspots.

In Jhapa-5, CPN-UML chair and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli is facing former Kathmandu mayor Balen Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), while in Sarlahi-4, Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa is contesting.

Police officials say these two constituencies have been given special priority in security planning, as they feature three prominent leaders, each viewed as a potential prime ministerial contender.

By contrast, no significant security challenges have been observed in the Capital, Kathmandu, they said.

However, in Jhapa-5 and Sarlahi-4, potential security risks have been carefully assessed. A large number of personnel, ranging from plainclothes police to NID officers, have been deployed in the two constituencies, a deputy inspector general of the National Investigation Department (NID) told the Post, requesting anonymity.

Earlier, the security apparatus had also classified several other constituencies as sensitive from a security standpoint. In addition to the two seats mentioned, these included East Rolpa, where Pushpa Kamal Dahal, coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party and former prime minister, is contesting; Chitwan-2, where Rabi Lamichhane, the RSP chair, is in the race; and Gorkha-1, where Sudan Gurung, one of the leaders of the Gen Z movement, is competing.

Security has been tightened across the Madhesh province, especially in light of clashes during past elections and the challenges posed by the open Nepal-India border. The Madhesh Province Police Office in Janakpurdham said that preparations are being carried out in a planned manner to prevent violations of the election code of conduct and to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful atmosphere.

Checkpoints have been set up along the border and special surveillance is underway. The office also confirmed that monitoring and inspections of polling centres in all eight districts of the province have already been completed.

According to the office, of the 2,160 polling stations in Madhesh province, 1,246 have been classified as highly sensitive. Most of these highly sensitive polling stations are located near the Indian border.

Kamal Thapa, spokesperson of the Madhesh Province Police Office, however, said that monitoring and security measures are being implemented systematically. He added that the classification of polling stations as highly sensitive was based on assessments conducted by district security committees.

Even as Holi, the festival of colour, scheduled for Tuesday in the Tarai and Madhesh, has been shifted to Wednesday in line with local custom, where major festivals are not observed on Tuesdays. According to Thapa, this change has added an extra layer of security challenge.

“Celebrating Holi on the day before the election will certainly increase security concerns,” he said.

But, in Nepal’s hilly and mountainous regions, the festival was celebrated on Monday, as per the calendar.

At the same time, the Mithila-Bihari Parikrama festival is also observed alongside Holi. As part of the festival, thousands of devotees from the ancient Mithila region, which straddles Nepal and parts of Bihar state in India, travel on foot to participate in the religious procession across various shrines. This large cross-border influx of pilgrims has further heightened security concerns in the run-up to the election, according to officials.

“Despite these challenges, the security apparatus has completed all necessary preparations to ensure the polls are conducted in a safe and orderly manner,” Thapa told the Post.

In a recent conversation with the Post, a senior Nepal Police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the force remains alert to potential risks during the Holi period in the Madhesh province.

The officer noted that the festival is often marked by consumption of cannabis-infused drinks, alcohol and lively public celebrations, and that the proximity of the election to Holi has raised concerns about potential unrest or violence. As a result, security agencies are maintaining heightened vigilance.

During the security briefing to Prime Minister Sushila Karki on February 25, security agencies had identified a dozen security challenges, including clashes between supporters of various political parties, communal disturbances, religious tensions, activities of the monarchist factions, prisoners who escaped from jails during the Gen Z protests in September, and activities of various political parties that have boycotted the election, among others.

However, Purna Silwal, a former major general of the Nepali Army, said that, in his assessment, all necessary security arrangements have been made for the polls.

“With the silence period now coming into effect, and given that no major security threats have been observed so far, it can be said that the country is in a state of readiness from a security standpoint for the election,” Silwal told the Post.

Nepal is holding snap parliamentary elections under a civilian government, following the anti-corruption Gen Z uprising in September that toppled the then coalition government of the CPN-UML and Nepali Congress.