The Delhi high court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of app-based cab service provider Ola, challenging a single-judge order upholding the city government’s ban on such taxi services.
A bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath dismissed the plea. In a July 29 interim order, the single-judge had directed the Delhi government’s transport department and traffic police to “strictly enforce” the January 1 ban.
The court had also sought an undertaking from ANI Technologies operating under the brand name of Ola, that it will comply with the court’s order upholding the ban.
On August 4, the division bench had reserved its order after hearing arguments on Ola’s plea alleging that the single-judge had overlooked Supreme Court’s orders on the kind of taxis that can run on city’s roads.
The bench was told by the ANI Technologies that the apex court had clarified it has not prohibited running of taxis, which are Euro II compliant or follow even better emission standards and that it has not ordered conversion to CNG.
Ola had contended that other taxi organisations, which are not app-based, come under Radio Taxi Scheme and they own cabs they operate, while Ola does not own the vehicles that run under their brand and only connects the taxis with customers.
The Delhi government had said the All-India Tourist Permit vehicles that operate under Ola brand are meant for tourist destinations and not point-to-point service in city.
On July 29, the high court’s single-judge had reprimanded Ola for not complying with the ban imposed on it by state government and refused to grant it any interim relief.
The court had also directed “strict” enforcement of the January 1 order, saying it has been “violated with impunity” by the company, from which it had sought affidavit undertaking to comply with its direction.
