The Delhi high court asked all app-based cab aggregators, including Ola and Uber, plying in the national capital to give details of their drivers and get their antecedents checked by the police, saying safety of passengers can not be “compromised” with.

“I cannot compromise with the safety of passengers using taxi services in Delhi,” Justice J.R. Midha said, asking the Delhi government and the police to check whether all drivers are driving taxis with valid licence.

“All taxi operators are directed to give details of their drivers, along with their taxis registration numbers, details of driving licence, within two weeks,” the court said, adding that “we have to ensure that no passengers are harmed by any of the drivers in future.”

“If someone comes from abroad to Delhi and hires a taxi and if a driver commits a crime, who will be held responsible There should be some safeguard,” the court observed.

On the basis of information given by taxi operators, it asked the authorities concerned to check the “criminal antecedents” of the drivers within two weeks thereafter.

To which, the counsel appearing for some of the app-based aggregators said they have no objection to it keeping in mind the safety of the public at large.

The court also asked the government to file an affidavit with regard to the status of its direction within four weeks.

“If they (all taxi operators) do not comply with the order of this court, the Delhi government can move the court for further direction,” the judge said and listed the matter for July 22.

The high court’s direction came during the hearing of a plea filed by Magic Sewa, which has alleged that certain unlicensed taxi aggregators in the city “have been disdainfully violating” government’s notification on fares by charging very low amounts like Rs 5 per km or as high as '38 per km.