Delhi HC seeks govt's stand on plea challenging mandatory uniform for auto drivers

New Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the city government's stand on a petition opposing its mandate for auto drivers of the national capital to wear a uniform.

A division bench of Chief Justice SatishChandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad while hearing the petition by drivers union Chaalak Shakti noted that there is ambiguity on the issue in the permit conditions and the motor vehicle rules.

It then granted time to the government to make it clear about the uniform colour -khaki or grey - prescribed for auto drivers in the city, and listed the matter for the next hearing on May 17.

The petitioner has challenged the mandate and has alleged that such labelling was in violation of the Constitution.

It was argued by the petitioner's counsel that assigning a uniform limits their freedom of expression and also acts as a status symbol.

To this, the court orally remarked that the idea behind a uniform is identification of those wearing it.

The counsel for government sought time to clarify its stand and said that certain discipline has to he maintained concerning uniforms.

The plea states that on not wearing uniforms, hefty challans upto Rs 20,000 were being imposed on drivers even though the law on the subject was ambiguous.

It is further alleges that there is complete ambiguity about the colour of uniform to be worn by auto drivers on duty as Rule 7 of Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993 prescribes khaki, whereas the state authorities' permit conditions say grey.

The petition contends that there are do many shades of both khaki and grey, and since no particular shade had been mentioned, the enforcement authorities enjoyed a huge discretion about who they wanted to prosecute.