Restrain order sought on Aug 21 auto & taxi strike

A city-based NGO today approached the Bombay High Court seeking it to restrain auto rickshaws and taxi unions to go ahead with their strike on August 21.
Auto rickshaw and taxi unions have declared to go on strike from August 21, seeking hike in metre fare.
NGO 'Mumbai Grahak Panchayat', which had earlier also filed a PIL in the matter, moved the court again seeking direction to the Maharashtra government to restrain the auto and taxi unions from going on strike.
The petition has also sought the government to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the striking union members.

A division bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and S C Gupte said it would hear the petition on August 18.
The Maharashtra government had in July informed the high court that there would be no hike in fares in the near future.
Last year also, the NGO had petitioned the high court challenging hike in fare based on the recommendation of Hakim Committee. It had sought replacement of the metres since the mechanical meters can be tampered with, thereby making commuters shell out more money.