Gujarat state auto rickshaw association moves high court

The Gujarat State Auto Rickshaw Association has moved the Gujarat high court challenging the Central Motor Vehicle rules which makes it mandatory for the rickshaw drivers to have studied upto class 8.

In the petition the association has stated that the rule makes it compulsory for a rickshaw driver to have studied uptill class 8 to get a license.

The strict implementation of the said rule has disqualified many applicants and this has not only resulted in unemployment but has also forced many rickshaw drivers to work without a license, the application said.

Lack of license means they don't get a badge and have to drive the vehicle without proper documents.

The association further stated that that the implementation of the said rule will affect as many as 1.5 lakh rickshaw drivers. Hence,  the association has moved the high court challenging the said rule.

The association in the petition has further sought that education be made compulsory for all across the country before such rules are implemented. They further said that such rules can be only implemented when the standard of education is upgraded.

Kaushik Shah, one of the office bearers of the association told DNA that even though the government passed the rule in 2007, it is only in the last few months that the state government began strictly implementing it. 

Due to this, many of the applicants who rely on auto rickshaw driving for their livelihood have failed to get a license and have either remained unemployed or are forced to drive an auto without a license.