<p>The Karnataka High Court on Monday granted time to the state government to file an affidavit in connection with the contempt petition filed by Roppen Transport Services Limited, which runs Rapido bike taxi services in the city.</p>.<p>The complainant company claimed that state authorities seized their two-wheelers and violated the interim order passed by the High Court.</p>.<p>Counsel for the complainant company submitted that the interim order was passed on August 11, 2021, calling upon the transport department not to take any coercive action. Despite the order, several vehicles have been seized, the advocate said.</p>.<p>The government advocate informed the court that the complainant company is operating on the basis of the interim order. The court was told that there are no rules for fuel-based two-wheelers to operate as taxis and the rules cover only electric vehicles. The government advocate further submitted that an affidavit will be filed stating that no vehicles belonging to the complainant company have been seized by the authorities. It was also submitted that the government will move the single-judge bench seeking modification of the interim order.</p>.<p>A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi adjourned the hearing by two weeks and directed the government to file an affidavit in response to the contempt petition.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Case background</strong></p>.<p>The company had filed an application seeking permission to operate the two-wheeler taxi service. The transport department had issued an endorsement stating that the petitioner was required to file an application for a grant of an aggregator’s licence as specified in the Karnataka Electricity Bike Taxi Scheme 2021. Since the authorities rejected the application, the company had moved to the single-judge bench seeking direction for the grant of a bike aggregator’s licence.</p>.<p>The company claimed there was non-application of mind in issuing the endorsement since reference is made to the Karnataka Electricity Bike Taxi Scheme 2020-21, whereas the application was with reference to general bike taxis. The bench had passed the interim order on August 11, 2021, directing the authorities not to take coercive action against the company.</p>
<p>The Karnataka High Court on Monday granted time to the state government to file an affidavit in connection with the contempt petition filed by Roppen Transport Services Limited, which runs Rapido bike taxi services in the city.</p>.<p>The complainant company claimed that state authorities seized their two-wheelers and violated the interim order passed by the High Court.</p>.<p>Counsel for the complainant company submitted that the interim order was passed on August 11, 2021, calling upon the transport department not to take any coercive action. Despite the order, several vehicles have been seized, the advocate said.</p>.<p>The government advocate informed the court that the complainant company is operating on the basis of the interim order. The court was told that there are no rules for fuel-based two-wheelers to operate as taxis and the rules cover only electric vehicles. The government advocate further submitted that an affidavit will be filed stating that no vehicles belonging to the complainant company have been seized by the authorities. It was also submitted that the government will move the single-judge bench seeking modification of the interim order.</p>.<p>A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi adjourned the hearing by two weeks and directed the government to file an affidavit in response to the contempt petition.</p>.<p class="CrossHead"><strong>Case background</strong></p>.<p>The company had filed an application seeking permission to operate the two-wheeler taxi service. The transport department had issued an endorsement stating that the petitioner was required to file an application for a grant of an aggregator’s licence as specified in the Karnataka Electricity Bike Taxi Scheme 2021. Since the authorities rejected the application, the company had moved to the single-judge bench seeking direction for the grant of a bike aggregator’s licence.</p>.<p>The company claimed there was non-application of mind in issuing the endorsement since reference is made to the Karnataka Electricity Bike Taxi Scheme 2020-21, whereas the application was with reference to general bike taxis. The bench had passed the interim order on August 11, 2021, directing the authorities not to take coercive action against the company.</p>
