Mumbai: Four app-based cab drivers have approached the Bombay High Court to challenge Maharashtra’s decision making a working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers. The petition, filed through advocate Vivek Shukla, contests the state government notification issued on August 12, 2026, and is expected to come up for urgent directions before the court.
The petitioners have sought an immediate stay on the notification, contending that its enforcement could jeopardise the livelihoods of lakhs of drivers. According to the plea, nearly 9.65 lakh taxi and rickshaw permit or badge holders across Maharashtra stand to be affected by the rule.
The drivers have contested the mandate on both constitutional and legal grounds. They argue that it infringes upon fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, which cover equality, the freedom to practise a profession, and the right to life.
The petition further questions whether the Maharashtra government has the authority to impose a language requirement under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. It states that the central legislation does not make knowledge of any specific language a condition for obtaining a driving licence, badge or permit, and does not allow for the suspension or cancellation of these documents purely on grounds of language proficiency.
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The legal challenge follows a period of heightened enforcement by the state’s transport authorities. RTO teams have been carrying out checks on auto and taxi drivers to gauge their practical command of Marathi, and notices have already been issued to those found lacking in adequate proficiency, with officials cautioning that further action could follow in cases of continued non-compliance.
The state government has maintained that drivers are not expected to be fluent in Marathi, but should have sufficient working knowledge to communicate with passengers and authorities. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also clarified that the requirement is not intended to make non-Marathi-speaking drivers proficient in the language.
The rule, however, has sparked protests among sections of Mumbai’s auto and taxi driver community, especially those who do not speak Marathi and fear that non-compliance could put their livelihoods at risk. The Bombay High Court’s decision on the petition will now determine whether the state’s language mandate continues to apply during the course of the legal proceedings, and could also set the boundaries for how far Maharashtra can go in attaching language-based conditions to commercial driving permits.
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