KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued a mandamus directing authorities not to publish citizenship numbers while releasing driving license exam results.
A joint bench of Justices Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma and Meghraj Pokharel passed the order while hearing a writ filed by law student Bibek Chaudhary. The full text of the verdict, decided on February 1, 2026, was recently published.
The court ruled that publishing citizenship numbers in exam results is illegal. It directed transport offices and concerned agencies to publish only the details specified by law.
The court identified the citizenship certificate as a highly sensitive personal document. It stated that such information cannot be made public unnecessarily. The decision is based on Article 28 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.
According to the verdict, publishing name and roll number is sufficient to identify candidates. Including citizenship numbers violates privacy rights.
Following the order, transport offices across the country can now publish only names and roll numbers in license results.
In the petition, Chaudhary argued that publishing citizenship numbers violates personal privacy. He had named the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, the Department of Transport Management, and transport offices under Bagmati Province as respondents.
The petition also cited constitutional provisions, including the right to live with dignity, the right to privacy, and the right to constitutional remedies. It also referred to the 2077 guideline, which allows only name and roll number to be published.
The petitioner warned that disclosing citizenship numbers could lead to cybercrime, identity theft, and financial fraud.
