Delhi govt moves SC, challenges order on bike-taxi services

The Delhi Government has moved the Supreme Court, challenging the Delhi High Court interim’s order staying the Delhi Transport Department’s notification to stop plying bike taxi services through ride-sharing platforms in the national capital.

The plea was brought before a vacation bench comprising justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal on Monday by Delhi Government’s advocates Manish Vashisht and Jyoti Mendiratta, who sought an urgent listing. The court said that it would hear the plea on Wednesday.

The government has challenged the decision of the Delhi High Court dated 26 May permitting the respondents to continue the commercial operations in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi and act as aggregators of non-transport two-wheelers plying in the city, admittedly without any licence.

The government’s counsel has sought urgency saying that in view of the impugned interim order of the High Court, the Respondents Uber and Rapido are continuing the use of non-transport vehicles including two-wheelers for the purpose of aggregation and ride pooling which is impermissible under the Motor Vehicles Act read with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020 without obtaining valid permits.

According to the government, the Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme, 2023 has already been prepared by the petitioner State and the same is now pending the approval of the Competent Authority.

“The respondents are required to get themselves registered and apply for permits after complying with the conditions laid down therein upon its notification and only thereafter, the Respondents can be allowed to continue their business operations in accordance with law,” the state government said.

Plying the bike taxis by the respondents cannot, amongst other reasons, be permitted without complying with conditions like police verification, obligations of installing GPS devices, panic buttons etc, to ensure road safety and the safety of the passengers, the government added.