Rapido Ban in Maharashtra: Supreme Court assures listing of case

The Supreme Court on Monday assured that it would hear the challenge to the ban on the services offered by bike taxi aggregator, Rapido in Maharashtra after Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi raised concern about the continuing ban [Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd & Anr vs State of Maharashtra & Ors].."These are like pillion taxis. It has been ten days [since] these people have been denied their licenses," Rohatgi submitted today..A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, in turn, assured that the Court would hear the matter soon. "It is okay. High Court has dismissed the writ petition. We will list it", CJI Chandrachud said. .Last Friday, the Bombay High Court had dismissed a petition filed by Rapido against the State government's refusal to grant a two-wheeler bike taxi aggregator license to the company..In a communication dated December 29, 2022, the State government had stated that there is no State policy on licensing of bike taxies and that there is no fare structure policy for bike taxies. Citing this, the State had refused to grant a license to Rapido.Rapido had then moved the Bombay High Court challenging the State government's refusal to grant the two-wheeler bike taxi aggregator a license.The High Court had initially taken a favourable view of Rapido's predicament and had asked the State to frame a policy for licensing such aggregators.The High Court had, on January 2, asked the State to consider the benefits of having two-wheeler transport and opined that there is nothing to stop the State from framing a policy.However, on being informed that Rapido was continuing to ply its taxis without a license in Maharashtra, it had warned the company of adverse action if the same was not halted. Rapido had then given an undertaking before the High Court that it would suspend all its services in Maharashtra till January 20.It later moved a plea before the Supreme Court seeking a relaxation on the interim ban so imposed on plying its services in Maharashtra. While this plea was pending before the top court, the High Court on January 20 rejected Rapido's petition.