App-based auto-hailing service: HC gives govt more time for consensus

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Monday gave the government four more weeks to come to a consensus on an issue related to app-based autorickshaw-hailing service.

The government sought more time by citing that the earlier meetings with stakeholders have been inconclusive and more meetings been scheduled for November 14 and 15.

In the meantime, the court directed, the authorities should file their objections to the interim relief sought by aggregators seeking enhancement of rates.

The Bharat Motor Transport Drivers Association also sought to implead in the case.

The government was directed to file its objections to this application as well, and adjourned the case to November 16.

The authorities recently ordered aggregators to stop their online services by saying they were not covered under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregator Rules in 2016.

ANI Technologies Private Limited, which operates Ola, and Uber India Systems Private Limited have challenged this before the court. The drivers association claimed there were 16 such organisations in the city and they were stakeholders and need to be party in the case.