Bombay HC to decide: Can Marathi be made compulsory for auto and taxi drivers?
The Bombay High Court is set to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the Maharashtra government's decision to make working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for auto-rickshaw, taxi, and app-based cab drivers. The petition, filed on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, questions the legality of the August 12 notification issued by the Home (Transport) Department.
The notification amends the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, adding a condition that drivers must possess working knowledge of Marathi to obtain or renew licences and permits. The PIL is expected to be mentioned before a bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge on Wednesday, August 26.
Four civil rights groups and several individuals have jointly filed the plea. They argue that the State has treated citizens from other states as outsiders, thereby violating Articles 19(1)(d) and 19(1)(e) of the Constitution, as well as the constitutional scheme of single citizenship. The petitioners emphasise that they hold Marathi in high regard and do not oppose its promotion. Many of them already speak and understand functional Marathi in their daily work. However, they contend that language proficiency cannot be enforced by suspending licences and removing livelihoods.
The plea also points out that neither the Constitution nor the Motor Vehicles Act permits such a condition. Under the new notification, a driver who fails to satisfy the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) about his Marathi knowledge will face a three-month licence suspension initially, followed by permanent suspension. This requirement applies to new permits as well as renewals.
This is not the first time such a rule has been challenged. The petitioners rely on a March 1, 2017 order of a division bench of the Bombay High Court, which quashed a November 2016 circular imposing a similar requirement for auto permits. The current PIL argues that the present notification repeats the same flaw.
The implementation of the rule has already begun. The Transport Commissioner and Transport Minister have issued instructions for enforcement. Dedicated flying squads have been tasked with checking drivers, issuing one-month notices, and suspending badges. According to a local newspaper report, on the first day of implementation, 522 rickshaw drivers were checked in the Vasai-Virar area, where many migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar reside. Notices were issued to 61 drivers, warning them of licence suspension.
The petitioners say they now face daily checks, notices, suspensions, and cancellation of badges. They describe themselves as persons for whom driving is their only profession and sole source of income. Several petitioners are migrants from Uttar Pradesh. They state that if their badges are suspended or cancelled, they and their families will be left without any income. The PIL has been filed on behalf of the community of approximately 9,65,000 rickshaw and taxi permit holders across Maharashtra.
The court's hearing on Wednesday will determine whether the matter is admitted and what interim relief, if any, may be granted. The outcome could have significant implications for thousands of drivers who depend on these vehicles for their livelihood, and for the state's language policy.
