Finance Ministry Rejects EV Import Allegations, Says No Irregularities Found

The Finance Minister’s office has issued a formal clarification rejecting recent allegations related to electric vehicle (EV) imports through northern border customs points.

The statement addresses claims of irregularities, advance information leaks, and manipulation of customs clearance timing ahead of recent budget-related tariff changes, describing them as misleading and unsupported by evidence.

The clarification, issued as an official communication of the Finance Ministry and conveyed through its press office, states that all EV imports were processed strictly under standard customs procedures in line with existing laws and regulations.

It emphasizes that there is no evidence of any leakage of customs duty information in advance, nor any indication that importers received preferential treatment.

According to the statement, customs clearance is conducted through a structured verification system involving banking arrangements, shipping documentation, manufacturer certifications, and transport approvals

. Vehicles are released only after full regulatory compliance, ensuring that clearance decisions are based on established procedures and applicable tariff structures at the time of import.

A major portion of public discussion has focused on EV shipments cleared through the Korala border customs point in Mustang. Between Jestha 8 and Jestha 13, a total of 649 BYD electric vehicles entered Nepal through this route, including Atto 1 and Atto 2 models.

The daily breakdown shows 51 units on Jestha 8, 110 on Jestha 9, 90 on Jestha 10, 270 on Jestha 11, 69 on Jestha 12, and 59 on Jestha 13. The ministry clarified that these imports were part of pre-planned commercial shipments processed through normal clearance procedures, with no evidence of timing manipulation linked to budget announcements.

The statement also addressed EV imports through the Rasuwagadhi customs point in Rasuwa, where over 200 electric vehicles were cleared. These included Kaiyi electric vehicles imported by Laxmi e-Mobility.

Officials confirmed that all consignments were processed under prevailing tariff rates and followed standard customs and transport approval systems, rejecting claims of any pre-budget advantage.

On the import mechanism, the ministry highlighted that EV shipments are executed through Letter of Credit (LC) banking arrangements supported by manufacturer documentation and compliance certificates.

Since clearance depends on physical arrival, verification, and regulatory approval, import planning is typically done weeks or months in advance, making short-term policy-based timing adjustments operationally impractical.

While rejecting all allegations of wrongdoing, the ministry confirmed that administrative review measures have been initiated, including reassignment of certain customs officials at Rasuwagadhi and deployment of additional oversight personnel. These steps, it clarified, are routine procedural safeguards and not an indication of confirmed irregularities.

Citing official data, the ministry added that EV imports during the same period last year stood at 4,317 units, compared to 2,764 units in the current period, indicating no abnormal import surge linked to tariff expectations.

The Finance Ministry concluded that all EV imports through northern border customs points were carried out in accordance with legal procedures and urged the public to rely on verified official data rather than speculative interpretations.