EC relaxes bike curbs for Ola, Uber, Zomato, Swiggy riders, restrictions remain for general public

The Election Commission has revised its earlier restrictions on motorcycle movement during the West Bengal Assembly elections, introducing partial relaxation in Kolkata and surrounding areas. According to the updated directive issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, the exemption will apply from two days before polling (P-2) up to the day of voting (P-day) under specific conditions.

Under the new guidelines, riders and employees associated with essential service platforms such as Ola, Uber, Zomato, and Swiggy will be allowed to use motorcycles during the restricted period. The exemption also covers home delivery service workers, permitting them to continue operations related to passenger transport, food delivery, and parcel movement when required for official work purposes.

While the Election Commission has maintained strict regulations on general public movement to ensure free and fair polling, it has clarified that these limited relaxations are meant to avoid disruption of essential services. Authorities have stated that all other restrictions on bike movement during election hours will continue to remain in force, and enforcement agencies will monitor compliance to prevent misuse of the exemption.