The Nepal-India border in Dhanusha district will remain sealed off in view of the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Province Assembly (PA).

The border will get cordoned off 72 hours before the voting on November 20, considering the possible security threats during the polls, said Chief District Officer, Dhanusha, Surendra Paudel.

A joint meeting of security officials of both the countries at Jainagar in Madhubani district in India took a
decision to this effect.

The meeting also discussed issues of people’s mobility across the border, encroachment and management of the no-man’s land, internal security of both Nepal and India and smuggling of narcotic drugs and alcohol illegally, he said. The meeting was led by Paudel on behalf of Nepal, and District Magistrate, Madhubani, Arvind Kumar Verma from Indian side.

Meanwhile, approximately 10 percent of the total votes were invalid in a mock voting organised here in Janakpurdham Sub Metropolitan City-14 targeting the upcoming HoR and PA elections. Out of the total 55 votes cast, approximately 10 percent were invalid, said Samjhana Kumari Raut of the Samagra Bikas Sewa Kendra, a local organisation that organised the vote as part of the voters’ education programme.