In an uncommon move, the Nepali Army has begun collecting data on squatters and unorganised dwellers across the country.

Military units stationed in different districts have sent letters to the Land Issues Resolution Commission, its district units, and various local units requesting updated information on squatters and unorganised settlers.

The Bajradal Battalion in Banke wrote to all local units in the district on April 25, asking to provide updated details on “unorganised squatter settlements” by April 27. The letter requests information, including the locations of settlements, when they were settled, the number of households, contact numbers for settlement representatives, and other relevant details, if available.

The letter states that the government’s “100-point agenda for governance reform” includes preparing a nationwide record of landless people, squatters, and unorganised settlers, and gradually providing security to genuine squatters, which is in the implementation phase.

The letter, signed by Major Cholendra Karki, further notes that as part of the implementation, security personnel were deployed on April 25 and 26 to remove squatter settlements encroaching on riverbanks and public land within the Kathmandu Valley.

Jaman Singh KC, chair of Geruwa Rural Municipality in Bardiya district, said he instructed officials to prepare and send the required details to the national defence force. “It is not just us; several other local units have received similar letters,” he said.

In Udayapur, the Pipaltar Barrack of the Pashupatiprasad Battalion also wrote to the district unit of the land commission, requesting details of squatter settlements. The letter, signed by operations officer Major Pramod Adhikari, states that security personnel were deployed to remove settlements encroaching on riverbanks and public spaces in the Kathmandu Valley and that announcements were made over loudspeakers. It also requested district-level data on squatter settlements.

Sanat Kumar Karki, vice chair of the commission, said the army has also sought details from other districts, including Darchula. “Along with the army, the incumbent government has also sent us a letter asking to complete the collection of details of squatters and unorganised settlers and their verification within 60 days,” he said. The commission constituted by the KP Sharma Oli government was dissolved by the Sushila Karki government. However, the Supreme Court reinstated it.

He said there has been no coordination with the commission, even as the government evicts squatters and the army collects information across the nation.

“When the current prime minister was mayor, an agreement was also signed with Kathmandu Metropolitan City for verification of squatters, together with other local units,” he said.

The commission claims that there would not have been any problems if the 2022 agreement had been implemented properly.

Not only in data collection, but the army’s presence was also seen even during eviction operations in the Kathmandu Valley. Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki visited areas where bulldozers were operating. The deployment of the army requires a decision by the National Security Council. Even during the Gen Z protests, the army had clarified that it was not deployed because no such decision had been made.

“We have not heard any decision by the civilian authority on army mobilisation,” said military affairs expert Indra Adhikari. “If the army is acting independently in areas under civilian authority, that is not appropriate.”

She questioned whether civilian authority had become ineffective, given the army’s involvement in data collection on squatters. “If that is not the case, the prime minister, who holds both defence and home portfolios, must clarify,” she said. “He must explain whether there is a lack of trust in civilian institutions or whether the army is stepping outside its jurisdiction.”

Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet, however, said the movements were linked to logistical and coincidental operational activity. “It is a coincidence. However, it can be interpreted in any way. A team did go to Manohara in Bhaktapur,” he said. “The battalion commander in Suryabinayak also attended a district security committee meeting. They went for inspection after the meeting.”

He said the army is also deployed during disasters and cannot refuse inspection duties. “There is no situation where we can say we will not go for monitoring,” he added.

Senior advocate Raju Chapagain, who has worked extensively on squatter issues, said managing squatters falls under civilian authorities, not the army. “The presence of the army during eviction of squatter settlements is not recognised by the constitution or law,” he said.

On the army’s letters issued in various districts, spokesperson Basnet said the actions were limited to disaster risk reduction. “The data collection is done based on decisions of the district security committee during emergencies,” he said. “It should not be interpreted otherwise.”

He added that as a former battalion commander, he had experience with such work in districts. “Risk-prone settlements are identified and categorised into high, medium and low risk zones, and work is done accordingly. The request for data may have been made in that context,” he said.

However, chief district officers in several districts said no such decision had been made by security committees. Udayapur Chief District Officer Dharma Raj Joshi said, “No decision has been made by the security committee on matters related to squatters. It would be better to ask the concerned agencies about this.”