The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the AAP government’s stand on a petition concerning wearing of uniforms by auto drivers in the city.
The court granted time to the government counsel to clarify whether khaki or grey coloured uniform is required for auto drivers in the national capital while noting the ambiguity on the subject in the permit requirements and the motor vehicle laws.
A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a petition filed by Chaalak Shakti, a drivers’ union, which challenged mandatory uniform for auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, claiming that such labelling was unconstitutional.
According to the petitioner’s counsel, mandating a uniform limited the drivers’ freedom of expression while also serving as a status symbol.
The court stated orally that the purpose of a uniform is to identify those who wear it.
The Delhi government counsel requested more time to clarify its position and stated that uniforms must be worn with discipline.
The Union, in its petition has claimed that hefty challans of up to Rs 20,000 were being imposed on drivers in the city for failing to wear uniforms,despite the fact that the law on the subject was vague and ambiguous.
It has been said that there is utter uncertainty over the uniform colour that auto drivers on duty should wear because Rule 7 of the Delhi Motor Vehicles Regulations, 1993 specifies khaki yet the permission requirements established by the state authorities require grey.
The petition noted that there are numerous noticeable colours of both khaki and grey, and as no specific shade had been specified, the enforcement authorities enjoyed a huge discretion about who they wanted to prosecute.
The uniform itself has not been specified to signify a pant-shirt, safari suit, or kurta-pajama and there are no criteria for the materials, trims, or accessories either.
The petition also claimed that the lack of a consistent requirement for taxi drivers across the majority of well-known metropolitan cities such as London, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Dubai, caused great suffering and damage.
The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on May 17,2023.
