TaxiForSure must follow regulations, govt tells HC

The State government on Friday submitted before the High Court that TaxiForSure, an app-based cab service, should follow the 1998 regulations issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Serendipity Infolabs Private Limited, owners of TaxiForSure, challenging the ban imposed on the cab services in the City, the government submitted that the regulations would be amended shortly.

The petitioner contended that the visit, raid and seizure of taxis and documents from its office by the regional transport officials on December 16, 2014, was without jurisdiction, and the ultimatum issued by the RTOs to either register under the City Taxi Service Scheme of 1998 under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, or close down the operation, was erroneous.

Further contended

The petitioner further contended that the governments of Maharashtra and West Bengal had incorporated the rules of cab services under the MV Act, but Karnataka had not done so.

The petitioner sought quashing of the advisory issued by the Home Ministry to the State governments asking them to ban the taxi services which did not have permits, arguing that the advisory had misled the governments to believe that the taxi service was illegal, without understanding the business model.

The petitioner further stated that TaxiForSure was just an aggregator and not the actual operator of taxis, and that the ban had affected their business and the families of cab drivers.