Kathmandu- The upcoming elections scheduled for Falgun 21 are estimated to cost the state Rs 27 billion, with security arrangements accounting for the largest share of the budget, according to government sources.
The election-related budget is being jointly managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Election Commission, and security agencies, while the Ministry of Finance is currently engaged in discussions to ensure the required resources.
Security Spending Dominates Election Budget
Of the total estimated expenditure, the Ministries of Home Affairs and Defense have proposed allocating around Rs 20.5 billion solely for security management, leaving only Rs 7.73 billion for the Election Commission’s operational costs.
A senior Finance Ministry official confirmed that deliberations are ongoing to finalize the allocations, given the scale of security deployment required nationwide.
147,000 Election Police to Be Mobilized
According to decisions taken by the Central Security Committee, a total of 147,000 election police personnel will be recruited and mobilized across the country for election duties.
The government estimates that Rs 9.15 billion will be required to cover salaries, uniforms, ration allowances, transportation, daily meals, and other logistical expenses related to election police alone.
Breakdown of Proposed Security Expenditure
The proposed allocation for security-related agencies includes:
Rs 4.2 billion for the Nepal Police
Rs 3.44 billion for the Nepal Army
Rs 3.33 billion for the Armed Police Force
Rs 314.6 million for District Administration Offices across the country
Rs 310 million for the Ministry of Home Affairs
Rs 69 million for the National Investigation Department
These figures reflect costs associated with personnel deployment, logistics, intelligence coordination, and administrative management during the election period.
Finance Ministry Under Pressure
Officials at the Ministry of Finance acknowledge that managing such a large election budget, particularly the security component, poses a significant fiscal challenge. The ministry is currently reviewing proposals submitted by concerned agencies to balance election preparedness with overall budgetary constraints.
The final budget decision is expected to be made following further inter-ministerial consultations.
