Kathmandu, April 20: Nepal’s eastern entry points have been sealed for 72 hours starting Monday evening, in view of the upcoming state assembly elections in West Bengal.
According to Khagendra Bahadur Khadka, information officer at the District Police Office, Jhapa, the Panitanki border crossing—which connects to Kakarbhitta—has been completely closed to both people and vehicles from 6:00 PM Monday until voting concludes on April 23.
The elections in West Bengal are scheduled for April 23. This isn’t a new trick. Both Nepal and India have routinely agreed to seal border crossings ahead of elections to keep things “orderly,” which loosely translates to fewer headaches for authorities.
During the “border seal” period, all pedestrian and vehicular movement is halted. Still, exceptions exist for patients seeking medical treatment and for individuals with urgent needs, provided they show valid identification.
Khadka also noted that Indian authorities will facilitate movement for Nepali and Bangladeshi tourists returning home, as long as they present proper documents. So the border is “closed,” just not entirely closed, which feels very on-brand for bureaucratic logic.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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