Election Commission Exempts Essential Service Vehicles from Pass Requirement on Voting Day

Kathmandu. The Election Commission has made arrangements that vehicles operating for essential services and specified purposes will not require a pass on the day of the upcoming House of Representatives election.

The Commission stated in a press release that this decision was made to make vehicle movement systematic and service-friendly on election day. According to the press release issued by Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, Joint Secretary and Spokesperson for the Commission, vehicles providing essential services will not need a vehicle permit (pass) on the polling day.  

Vehicles Not Requiring a Pass

• Essential Services: Fire trucks, ambulances, hearses, drinking water tankers, vehicles for telecommunications, electricity, and sewage maintenance.
• Daily Consumables: Vehicles carrying milk, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, and petroleum products.
• Health Services: Vehicles used by doctors and health workers to travel from home to the hospital and vice versa.
• Air Passengers: Vehicles carrying passengers for international and domestic air services (to and from the airport or hotel).
• Infirm and Sick: Vehicles carrying pregnant women, new mothers, women carrying their own infants, those observing mourning rites (Kriyaputri), physically infirm or disabled persons, elderly voters unable to move, and one accompanying helper.
• Diplomatic and Others: Diplomatic mission vehicles marked with 'CD' on the number plate, vehicles of observers carrying identity cards issued by the Commission, and vehicles of journalists holding press passes.

All other vehicles require a pass to operate. To facilitate pass distribution, the Commission has established an 'Integrated Vehicle Movement Desk' at the Commission premises, comprising representatives from the Election Commission, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Kathmandu District Administration Office.  

The Commission has stated that passes required to be issued by the District Administration Offices of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur are being issued from this desk.