The district administration has heightened security alertness in Saptari district with the completion of all the preparations for the second phase of elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies scheduled for Thursday.
The twin elections are taking place in 45 districts including Saptari. Security in the polling centers and for voters, political leaders, candidates and cadres has been strengthened.
According to Saptari's chief election officer Harish Chandra Dhungana, election employees and security persons have already reached all the polling stations in the district with the required election materials.
The number of voters in the district which is sending four members to the House of Representatives and eight to the State Assembly is 346,214. A total of 55 candidates are in the race for the federal parliamentary election while 97 are competing for the State Assembly.
None of a polling station in this Tarai district is normal in view of the security aspect. Of 295 polling stations, 207 are categorized as highly sensitive and 88 sensitive. Further security alertness measures have been taken in view of the election, said Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Singh. Security has been tightened in the polling stations as most of them lie close to the Nepal-India border.
However, political parties and candidates here have breached the silence period code of conduct as they continue with seeking votes reaching people's doorsteps. The silence period for the second phase elections has been in force since the midnight of Monday.
