Govt can't wash off hands on over-charging by taxis: HC

Delhi High Court today said the Delhi government cannot wash their hands off on alleged over charging by app-based private taxi operators like Uber and Ola, as general public was suffering due to it.
A bench of Justice J R Midha, which issued a notice to the Delhi government seeking its response on the issue by April 25, also wondered what the concerned authorities were doing to regulate this.
"What is the government doing to regulate this? This is not for the courts to do. What are you (government) doing," the court asked, adding, "today, people are aggrieved that some companies are overcharging."

The issue was raised before the court during the hearing on a plea filed by Magic Sewa Pvt Ltd which has alleged that certain unlicensed taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola, "have been disdainfully violating" the government's notification on fares by charging very low amounts like Rs five per km or as high as Rs 38 per km.
Advocate Pranav Sachdeva, who appeared for the petitioner, claimed this was an urgent issue as during the ongoing odd-even scheme, app-based taxi service operators were flouting fare rules and charging exorbitantly from the customers.
Terming the advertisements given by such operators as "misleading", he said despite repeated complaints made to the government on this issue, no action was taken.

The counsel representing the Delhi government submitted they would file a status report in this regard.

During the hearing, the court observed that the government should have appointed an expert to see how these app-based taxi operators were operating in other countries.
"You (government) cannot wash off your hands. Government will have to find out a way. This problem appears to be genuine as general people are suffering because of this," the bench said, adding that "this is government's primary duty".
Magic Sewa had earlier alleged in the court that certain
unlicensed taxi aggregators "have been disdainfully violating" government's notification on fares by charging very low amounts like Rs five per km or as high as Rs 38 per km."

The court had asked the government to convene a meeting with representatives of app-based cab operators, which are allegedly operating "illegally", to see if they are interested in getting fresh licence from the government.
The government had told the court that a meeting was called but certain issues still remain to be clarified and they were going to bring a regulation which will cover all taxi operators.
Ola and Uber, however, opposed the contention raised in the petition, saying they have all India permit licence and are not governed by Delhi government's scheme as this lies in the central government's domain.