HC tells government not to take action against Uber, Ola cabs for now

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the city government not to take any action against app-based cab providers like Uber and Ola till a special panel,

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the city government not to take any action against app-based cab providers like Uber and Ola till a special panel, formulating a uniform policy to regulate such companies, comes out with its report.

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“Please stay out ... till the matter is pending. Trust them. They (cab aggregators) are following your directions,” Justice Manmohan said, to which Delhi government’s counsel said the transport department officials have been orally instructed not to take action against the cabs till the matter is pending.

The court was hearing Uber’s application seeking quashing of the challans of its cabs and restraining the government from taking any coercive step against it.

The government had earlier told the court that these cab aggregators cannot get immunity for violating the law merely because a special panel was working on formulating a uniform policy.

However, Uber had contended that several of their cabs were challaned or confiscated merely because they did not have calibrated meters and alleged that the action was being taken by the government at the behest of some of its competitors.

Justice Manmohan had asked if the government could wait till the committee comes out with its report as the aggregators had cooperated earlier on the issue of surge pricing.