Setback for cab aggregators as Supreme Court says no to bike taxis in Delhi

SC suspends Delhi HC's interim order that allowed bike taxis in the national capital; urges HC to decide the case expeditiously.

The Supreme Court on Monday suspended Delhi high court's interim order which allowed bike taxis to operate in the national capital. The top court urged the high court to decide the case ‘expeditiously’.

The Delhi government’s notifications in February had banned the aggregators from offering any bike taxi services. (PTI)

This comes days after the apex court had issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi government. The court had sought the Centre's stand on allowing bike taxi aggregators including Uber and Rapido bikes to run in Delhi.

The Delhi government had approached the Supreme Court in an appeal against May 26 order of the high court which had directed that no coercive action will be taken against the bike taxi aggregators till the time the Arvind Kejriwal government notifies the regulations.

"Accordingly, we hereby stay the notice and make it clear that the stay shall operate till the final policy is notified. However, once the final policy is notified, if the petitioners are still aggrieved, they are at liberty to take steps before the appropriate forum," the high court had said.

"The direction issued by the transport department under the impugned notice is ex-facie arbitrary and passed without following due process under law, without providing any reasons for such prohibition," the plea said.

(With PTI inputs)