Drivers of autos with ads allege harassment

A group of autorickshaw drivers Tuesday filed an affidavit before the Delhi High Court alleging that despite the court's curbs the transport department officials were harassing them due to advertisements on their vehicles.

The court had stayed the government's June 6 order prohibiting autorickshaws from displaying advertisements and posters and restrained any coercive action against the drivers.

Filing the affidavit before a division bench of Acting Chief Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru, senior advocate Jayant Bhushan, appearing for autorickshaw drivers, sought direction to the city government to file its reply on the plea.

The bench asking the government to file a reply explaining whether there was any policy or guideline for putting advertisements and posters on autorickshaws, posted the matter for July 22.

"It is submitted that in spite of the ad-interim relief granted against the government's order dated June 6, the enforcement wing of the transport department has been stopping autorickshaws carrying political or social messages, peeling off such material, and prosecuting drivers on fictitious charges," the affidavit said.

The Delhi government had announced June 6 that no advertisement can be displayed on public service vehicles such as autorickshaws, taxis and buses without permission from the state transport authority.

The autorickshaw drivers argued that prohibition on advertisements on their vehicles was discriminatory as radio taxis were permitted to carry advertisements.