Kathmandu, Nov. 8 -- Hours before the extended deadline for the multi-billion-rupee e-passport tender ended, the Department of Passports on Thursday night cancelled the entire bid.

Issuing a statement, the department, late Thursday night, said that it has cancelled the e-bidding notice for the printing, supply, delivery, installation, testing, and commissioning of equipment and personalisation of electronic machine-readable travel documents.

"We do not know the reasons behind the cancellation but we have annulled the bid as per the Cabinet decision and instructions from higher authorities," Ram Kaji Khadka, director-general of the Department of Passports, told the Post on Friday morning.

The bid has been cancelled despite the Passport ...