Cab Drivers Challenge Maharashtra Marathi Rule, Seek Urgent Stay From Bombay High Court

Four cab drivers working with app-based ride-hailing platforms have approached the Bombay High Court challenging Maharashtra's new requirement that passenger transport drivers have working knowledge of Marathi. The petition seeks an immediate stay on the government notification, arguing that the language requirement could affect thousands of drivers operating across the state. The Maharashtra government has announced a month-long statewide drive to assess the Marathi language skills of drivers. The move follows a notification issued by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on August 12, requiring drivers of passenger transport vehicles to possess working knowledge of Marathi so they can communicate effectively with commuters.

The petition was filed by four cab drivers through advocate Vivek Shukla. According to Bar and Bench, the matter is scheduled to be mentioned before the Chief Justice on August 26, with the petitioners seeking urgent directions from the court. They have asked the court to suspend implementation of the government order while the legal challenge is considered. The drivers have argued that making Marathi proficiency compulsory interferes with their constitutional rights. Their plea invokes Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, relating respectively to equality before the law, freedom to practise a profession or carry on a trade, and the right to life and personal liberty.

The petitioners have also raised concerns about the wider impact of the notification on the state's cab-driving workforce. The challenge seeks to prevent the language requirement from being enforced against nearly 9.65 lakh drivers across Maharashtra, according to the petition. The drivers argue that a language condition tied to their ability to continue working could impose a significant burden on those who do not speak Marathi. The state government's decision is part of a broader effort to ensure that drivers providing passenger services can communicate with commuters in Marathi. Authorities have planned the assessment drive across Maharashtra, making language proficiency an issue for a large number of drivers working in both traditional and app-based transport services.

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For cab drivers dependent on aggregator platforms, the proposed requirement could have direct implications for their livelihoods if failure to meet the language condition affects their eligibility to operate. The petition therefore seeks judicial intervention before the statewide assessment and enforcement measures progress further. The case also raises a broader legal question over the extent to which state authorities can prescribe language requirements for workers in the passenger transport sector. While the government has cited communication with commuters as the basis for the rule, the petitioners contend that compulsory Marathi proficiency must be tested against constitutional protections relating to equality, occupation and personal liberty.

The Bombay High Court's response to the request for an immediate stay will determine whether the government can proceed with its planned assessment drive while the challenge is pending. The court will also have to consider the constitutional arguments raised by the four drivers and the state's justification for imposing the language requirement. For now, the Marathi language rule remains at the centre of a legal dispute involving the government and a large section of Maharashtra's commercial passenger transport workforce. The petitioners are seeking urgent relief, while the state is preparing to assess drivers' language skills as part of its month-long statewide exercise.

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