In what will come as a relief to many, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has announced that from August 17, e-passes will be approved for anyone who needs it for important purposes. Currently, e-passes can be applied only for purposes like medical emergencies, deaths and weddings. The state government has, however, clarified that the relaxation applies only for those wanting e-passes for inter-district travel within Tamil Nadu. For those coming in from other states and countries, the existing norms will continue to apply.

In a press statement issued on Friday, the Chief Minister said that he has ordered the authorities to approve e-pass applications immediately for those who are applying with their phone numbers and details of Aadhaar card or ration cards to travel between districts for important work. The press release also said that this will come into force from August 17. Urging people to use e-passes only for important work, the Chief Minister said that the current method of issuing e-passes with phone numbers has helped district authorities to keep track of those who travel between the districts and trace their contacts if they test positive for coronavirus.

The Tamil Nadu government had informed the Madras High Court on Tuesday that it would set up a committee to regulate the e-pass issuance to ensure hassle free travel. This came after the court pointed out that they were taking serious note of allegations of fake e-passes being issued.

The lack of uniformity in e-pass rules has made domestic travel difficult, despite the ease of restrictions in connection to the pandemic. Tamil Nadu has insisted that passengers carry an e-pass on arrival. However, several have reported delay or rejection of their application for an e-pass.

The varying policies have caused problems for residents who are looking to come back into the state. In Tamil Nadu, reasons such as inadequate documents and non-emergencies have been cited as reasons for rejecting applications.