Bombay HC asks auto, taxi unions to spell out reason for strike

The Bombay High Court today directed unions of autorickshaw and taxi drivers to file an affidavit stating the reason behind their strike on June 15 and 17 in Mumbai.

Taxi and autoriskshaw drivers had gone on a strike on these two days in the city seeking implementation of the proposed hike in fares and against the scrapping of the one-man committee which had recommended the hike.

A division bench of justices N H Patil and S B Shukre was informed by advocate Uday Warunjikar appearing for Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a consumer body which has opposed the fare hikes and also the one-man Hakim committee, that the high court had in August 2013 observed that the taxi and auto unions should not threaten to go on strikes time and again.

Warunjikar argued that by going on strike again, the unions have committed contempt of the court's order and appropriate action should be taken against them.

The high court directed both the auto and taxi unions to file their affidavits by June 23.

The court has also sought an affidavit from the Maharashtra government on what stand it would take on the proposed hike until a high-level committee decides the issue.

The state government had approached the high court seeking approval for the proposed auto and taxi fare hike announced by the Mumbai Metropolitan Road Transport Authority (MMRTA).