'Should Ola, Uber drivers be considered employees?':Delhi High Court

New Delhi : The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and city government on a plea seeking setting up of a committee to examine if drivers working for cab aggregators like Ola and Uber should be classified as their employees.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notice to the Centre and Delhi government and sought their response on the petition filed by Delhi Commercial Drivers Union which sought direction that the committee should ascertain whether these drivers be made eligible to receive benefits such as compensation in cases of accidents or deaths.

The plea filed through advocates Akash Vajpai and Shoumendu Mukherji sought that the committee should be made to look into their complains such as work and pay conditions of drivers and suggest some recommendations in order to improve their work and pay conditions.

The plea alleged deplorable working and pay conditions of the drivers saying that drivers have to suffer due to "arbitrary deductions in their payments without even giving them a chance to respond".

Ola and Uber should pay compensation to the drivers who are victims of road accidents or to their family in case of their death during the course of employment, said the plea.

It added: "The drivers are demanding a revision in the minimum fares and the bringing back of bonuses that were on offer in the initial days.