Taxi-hailing app Uber on Friday claimed in the Karnataka High Court that it is a technology platform that connects drivers with consumers and, hence, cannot be regulated under India’s Motor Vehicles Act, which governs taxis and aggregators in the country. Uber’s Counsel Sajan Poovayya told the court that the company was not challenging the validity of the Act, but that it was being wrongly categorised as an agent under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act. “I don’t own these vehicles, nor do I own the passengers. I am only a platform,” said Poovayya, arguing ...
Uber has argued in an Indian High Court that it is a technology company and therefore should not be subject to the same regulations that govern taxi firms in the country. Uber’s Counsel Sajan Poovayya told the court: “I don’t own these vehicles, nor do I own the passengers. I am only a platform…” and as such should not have to adhere to rules that require digital meters, panic buttons and global positioning system modules, and comply with capping fares at rates that would be periodically reviewed by the state. As previously reported, Uber has now made several attempts to gain a legal licence to operate in India state, without success, whereas homegrown service, Ola, now has the required licence.