Now Reading: Cab drivers challenge Maharashtra Marathi rule in Bombay High Court
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Cab drivers challenge Maharashtra Marathi rule in Bombay High Court
Four app-based cab drivers have moved the Bombay High Court against Maharashtra's rule making working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for taxi, auto and app-based cab drivers. The petition, Mohd. Kasim Ahmad v.…
Four app-based cab drivers have moved the Bombay High Court against Maharashtra's rule making working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for taxi, auto and app-based cab drivers. The petition, Mohd. Kasim Ahmad v. State of Maharashtra, will be mentioned before the acting Chief Justice on August 27 for urgent directions.
The rule, notified on August 12 under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026, requires Marathi proficiency to obtain or renew a state-issued badge. Aggregators such as Uber, Ola and Rapido require the badge number during driver onboarding, effectively making the language test a condition for working on any platform.
The drivers argue the rule violates their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and is ultra vires the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which prescribes no language requirement. They seek an immediate stay, citing that 9.65 lakh drivers hold rickshaw and taxi permits in the state and face potential licence suspension or cancellation.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The case tests whether a state can use its power over commercial driving badges to indirectly regulate app-based platforms, which operate under central law. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 does not mention language as a qualification for drivers, and the Bombay High Court will decide if the 2026 state amendment exceeds that authority. A similar constitutional challenge against Kerala's Malayalam proficiency rule for drivers is pending in the Kerala High Court. The outcome affects at least 1.65 lakh non-Marathi-speaking drivers who attended a state-run language campaign, and the court will hear the matter on August 27.
Source: medianama.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
