Complaint in NCDRC to prevent the “Dark Age of Uber”, surge pricing + 9,239 crore refund

Uber and Ola may have to stave off attack in one more judicial forum. In addition to the Delhi High Court, the Bombay High Court, and the Karnataka High Court, the ride-sharing apps may well face the heat from the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission..A complaint filed in the consumer forum seeks the refund of Rs. 9, 239 crores, the amount reportedly collected by Uber and Ola over the past three years. The complainants include two NGO’s, Nyayabhoomi and the Pariwar Unity Road Safety Life Safety..In a press conference held yesterday, Col. Devinder Sehrawat, an MLA from Bijwasan said that,.“Collection of even a single paisa more than the fares notified by the state governments is illegal under Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Uber and Ola have no defence whatsoever for doing this. ”.Sehrawat is resting on an order passed in August this year by the Delhi High Court’s Manmohan J. The judge had prohibited companies from charging more than the government notified fares. President of Nyayabhoomi, Umesh Sharma stated,.“Inspite of (the Delhi High Court order dated 11.08.2016) people are continuing to pay fares as high as three times.”.Yesterday’s press conference also saw a presentation made by Rakesh Agarwal, Secretary of the Pariwar Unity Road Safety Life Safety. Agarwal claimed that Ola currently has about 1,500 crores of VC money, an amount that is unlikely to last too long. Agarwal said that Ola will eventually become a “sitting duck” to be acquired by Uber leading to an apparent “Dark Age”..According to Agarwal,.“It is only a matter of time before India’s transport sector is captured and controlled by a 100% foreign owned Uber which will lease vehicles to the drivers, who will be reduced to the status of bonded labour.”.The complaint itself has listed a number of instances where passengers have been charged at rates higher than the government notified one of Rs. 12.50 per kilometre. In other words, the complaint is against the practice of “surge pricing” that continues despite the High Court’s order prohibiting the same..The matter is listed for October 5, with the complainants represented by lawyer Sumit Kumar Modi.