Ban on e-rickshaws will continue, Delhi high court says

The Delhi high court on Tuesday ordered that the ban on plying of e-rickshaws in the national capital would continue till the law is amended to bring them under the ambit of the Motor Vehicles Act.

A division bench of Justice BD Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul confirmed the ban it had imposed July 31 "till such time rules and regulations are brought about by the legislatature".

The bench had banned plying of e-rickshaws on the city roads, saying they were illegally running and were hazardous to other traffic as well as citizens.

The Centre and associations of E-rickshaws Owner's Association then moved the court seeking a review of its order banning e-rickshaws as thousands of people and their livelihood were being affected by the ban.

The bench dismissed their plea.

The Centre and the associations had sought that the stay be vacated, saying e-rickshaw operators live on the basis of their earnings and the government was seeking an exemption or interim directions till Oct 15, by when the government would be able to bring an amendment in the rules under the Motor Vehicles Act.