The Election Commission yesterday withdrew the ban on bike use by journalists during their poll duty on Dec 30. The EC withdrew the ban on motorcycles a week after imposing it amid criticisms from the journalist community. Motorcycles are the preferred transport mode of reporters who run on tight schedules.

Asadul Haq, EC's deputy director (public relations), said journalists would have to display the commission's approval stickers on their bikes. "Journalists have already been provided with stickers and cards for covering the national poll. They've to display the [EC's] stickers on their motorcycles," he said.

The authorities concerned banned the plying of all motor vehicles from Dec 29 midnight to Dec 30 midnight. Motorbike plying was restricted from Dec 28 midnight to Jan 1 midnight.

The last directive caused concerns among journalists, since moving swiftly from one polling centre to another would have been hard without the two-wheelers.