KATHMANDU: In a move aimed at minimising disruption to tourism and essential services, the Election Commission has recommended that vehicles carrying international and domestic air passengers will not require special passes on the day of voting for the House of Representatives Member Election 2082 (March 5).

The Commission stated that the provision has been made under Clause 5 (Ta), Clause 9 and Clause 11 of the Vehicle Permit Procedure 2082 to ensure effective, orderly and service-friendly transport management on polling day.

Under the arrangement, vehicles ferrying passengers to and from airports—between their homes or hotels and the airport—will be allowed to operate without a pass. The decision is expected to facilitate smooth travel for tourists and aviation passengers, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley, which serves as the country’s primary international gateway.

In addition to tourism-related transport, the following vehicles will also be exempted from the pass requirement, provided they carry only authorised users and no unrelated passengers:

• Fire engines, ambulances and hearse vehicles.
• Vehicles transporting drinking water, milk, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and petroleum products.
• Vehicles used for maintenance of telecommunications, drinking water, electricity and sewerage services.
• Hospital vehicles transporting doctors and health workers between home and workplace.
• Vehicles carrying pregnant women, postnatal mothers, women with infants, individuals performing funeral rites, persons with disabilities, senior citizens unable to walk, and one accompanying helper.
• Diplomatic vehicles bearing ‘CD’ number plates.
• Vehicles used by election observers holding Commission-issued identity cards (within designated areas), monitoring teams from the National Human Rights Commission, and media personnel with press passes.

The Commission further informed that an Integrated Vehicle Movement Desk has been established within its premises, comprising representatives from the Election Commission, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the District Administration Office, Kathmandu.

Vehicle passes that would normally be issued by the District Administration Offices of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur are currently being issued from this integrated desk.

The arrangement is expected to ease concerns within the tourism and aviation sectors over possible mobility restrictions on polling day, while maintaining necessary security measures.