KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Saturday directed the State police chief Loknath Behera to file an affidavit in response to a contempt of court petition filed by online taxi service providers in Kochi city. The petition stated that the State police chief failed to comply with the order to provide sufficient protection for the online taxi service like Uber and Ola in the city.
The court had held that online taxi service providers such as Uber and Ola cab had the right to drop and pick up commuters from the airports, railway stations and bus stands.
The court also directed the State police chief to issue appropriate instructions to the police personnel in the State to maintain law and order at railway stations, bus stations and airports. The court asked the State police chief to file an affidavit in the contempt of court case and posted the hearing of the case to January 3 at 4PM.
Justice V Chitambaresh said, "It was reported that the order is more often than not honoured by its breach. The services of online taxi are disrupted by other taxi drivers and autorickshaw drivers. The general complaint is that the police personnel are a mute witness to these incidents. Sufficient police is not seen deployed in the railway station and bus station and airport."