HC declines to hear plea for regulating radio cabs in Delhi

The Delhi High Court today refused to hear a plea seeking measures to regulate radio cabs in the national capital, which were allegedly flouting existing norms and guidelines made by the government.
A bench of justices Mukta Gupta and V P Vaish rejected a request to this effect by a lawyer who said that despite the ban order imposed on the US-based cab service provider Uber, it is still plying in Delhi and again its driver had allegedly tried to kiss a female passenger during a ride to Gurgaon.
The court said that the matter is pending for consideration before the bench headed by Chief Justice G Rohini, so there is "no urgency" to take up the issue through this petition.

"It is not that for every incident occurs here, you will file a separate writ petition," the bench said.
The court's oral observation was made when the plea was mentioned before it by advocate Shri Venkatesh who sought the direction that the plying of Uber be banned as they are not complying with Delhi government Transport Department's decision issued December last year.
He said that until and unless the court intervened, they will continue to operate flouting rules.

The lawyer has moved the court against the cab service provider after it landed in a fresh controversy when a woman accused its driver of forcing himself upon her, "trying to kiss and molest her" during a ride to Gurgaon on May 31 night.

Delhi government had on December 8 last year banned Uber and 20 other such companies, including Ola Cabs, from operating in Delhi following the rape of a 27-year-old woman executive on December 5, 2014 night by a driver of the cab service provider.
The High Court is already hearing PILs filed by lawyers who have also sought action against all radio taxi companies which were flouting regulations.
Their plea claimed that even though Delhi government had created a 'Radio Taxi Scheme, 2006', which lays down the terms and conditions for licensing of taxi services, including character verification of the driver, the scheme was not being followed.

The lawyer sought banning and prosecution of "web/mobile- based cab providing companies which are not adhering to the mandatory provisions of the law regulating the business of renting motor cabs with immediate effect".