Karnataka HC gives transport authorities, taxi aggregators four weeks for amicable auto fare resolution

The high court this week allowed the state four more weeks’ time to resolve the issue after the state government sought more time Monday.

“On 14.10.2022, this Court had permitted the state a period of 15 days. However, since the consultative process is already begun, it is appropriate to extend the time, as requested by the State in the application filed today. Hence an additional period of four weeks is granted to enable the State to arrive at an amicable solution,” Justice CM Poonacha said.

ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd, Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, and Roppen Transportation Services have approached the Karnataka High Court against a transport department order of October 11, 2022, imposing a ban on the use of auto-rickshaws by aggregators for services in Bengaluru.

The state government also directed auto-rickshaw drivers not to charge fares higher than the minimum amount of Rs 30 for three km fixed by the state government for regular auto-rickshaw services in Bengaluru.

The state also said that auto-rickshaws do not come under the purview of the Karnataka On-Demand Transport Technology Aggregator Regulations, 2016, for cab services.

When the matter reached the high court on October 14, the Court suggested arriving at a consensus on the fare to be charged for auto-rickshaw services operated by aggregators for a temporary solution in the interest of the public while the larger issue of whether auto-rickshaws fall within the definition of app-based taxis is resolved by the Court.

In its interim order last month, the high court said aggregators should follow the fare fixed by the state with an addition of Rs 10 and applicable service taxes. “This would meet the ends of justice till the State Government fixes the fare within a period of fifteen days as mentioned,” the Court said.