Enforcement drive and early results

The Maharashtra transport department has begun a statewide inspection campaign to assess the practical knowledge of Marathi among autorickshaw and taxi drivers, a drive that started on August 20 after the August 15 deadline for drivers to acquire mandatory functional Marathi had passed. As of Saturday, August 22, officials had inspected 5,211 drivers, including 3,942 in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and issued notices to 777 who were found to lack working knowledge of the language, the Lokmat Times reported. The Hindu reported similar figures, stating that 777 drivers were issued notices out of 5,211 tested. A separate report by the Free Press Journal, dated August 21, offered different figures: according to that source, RTO teams tested 9,233 drivers across Maharashtra on that day, served 1,499 notices, and had tested 1,430 drivers on the first day, issuing 422 notices, for a two-day total of 1,921 notices. The discrepancy between the 777 and 1,921 totals likely reflects different reporting days and methodologies, and the Free Press Journal's figures have not been independently reconciled.

The inspection campaign will continue until September 30, officials said. In a statement attributed to Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, he said, "Drivers are being given sufficient time to learn Marathi. However, strict action will be taken against those who do not follow the rules even after the given deadline," as carried by The Hindu.

The requirement itself derives from the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, as amended. Reports highlight that the amended rules, notified via a Gazette notification dated June 12, 2026, and strictly enforced from August 20, make working knowledge of Marathi a condition for the grant and renewal of permits and badges. Rules 4(4), 78, and 85 are cited as linking the requirement to permit renewals, and Rule 24(3) allows suspension of the driver's authorisation for up to three months for non-compliance, with continued non-compliance leading to cancellation. Under Provision 22(3A), licences can be suspended for up to three months or cancelled.

Practical assessments on the streets

The tests are conducted by Regional Transport Office marshals at locations including the Dahisar Check Naka, Dadar station road, and the Andheri station road. The assessments involve question-and-answer sessions in Marathi, focusing on everyday passenger interactions such as "Where do you want to go? Please start the meter. How much time will it take to get there? Do you have change?" and identifying the location of a rickshaw stand. The transport authorities have said the focus is on practical use of the language rather than reading or writing, with drivers' ability to communicate in routine situations being the primary concern.

Transport Minister Sarnaik announced on Wednesday that the department will video-record the practical Marathi-speaking ability of applicants seeking new auto, taxi, and aggregator cab permits and badges. The entire verification process for new badges will be filmed, and that badges will be issued only after confirming a working knowledge of Marathi.

Training programme and support

In the run-up to enforcement, the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh have run a 105-day training campaign called the 'Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Language Campaign'. Around 65 lakh non-Marathi-speaking drivers participated, and certificates were distributed to participating drivers in the presence of veteran writer Madhu Mangesh Karnik, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Minister Uday Samant at the Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane. The adequacy of the training has been questioned: union representatives have claimed that even some drivers who completed the courses still struggle with conversational Marathi, according to The Times of India, and some drivers have been critical of being asked to comply without adequate training infrastructure.

Reactions: court petition and protests

The enforcement has stirred legal and informal opposition. Four app-based cab drivers have approached the Bombay High Court challenging the government's notification dated August 12 and the subsequent circular for implementation dated August 19. Filed through advocate Vivek Shukla, the petition argues that the Marathi requirement violates the drivers' fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India, and that it falls outside the powers of the State under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The plea states that the Motor Vehicles Act does not prescribe knowledge of any particular language as a condition for a driving licence, badge, or permit, and questioned the legality of provisions allowing the suspension or revocation of badges on language grounds. According to the plea, "The impugned Notification manufactures a new disqualification which the Parliament never enacted." The petitioners have also contested the crackdown on alleged fake domicile certificates, saying it could unfairly target migrant workers. The petition is scheduled to be mentioned before the Acting Chief Justice on August 27.

On August 24, some non-Marathi-speaking autorickshaw drivers stopped their vehicles on Kandivali Link Road in protest, leading to traffic disruptions. Major unions clarified that the shutdown was not officially called by any recognised union. In response, thought that misinformation and rumours on social media appeared to have triggered the protest, with a Facebook message claiming that a shutdown would take place on August 24. The unions have sought more time from the government and urged drivers to continue services. Services continued in most parts of Mumbai, according to union leaders, but the protests posed a challenge for commuters.

Official response and welfare measures

Transport Minister Sarnaik emphasised that the government's objective is not to deny employment to migrants, and that Maharashtra is welcoming to people from across India. He also highlighted welfare measures, including the Anand Dighe Auto-Rickshaw and Taxi Drivers Welfare Corporation, which has enrolled over 37,000 members and been allocated Rs 57 crore, including Rs 10,000 germans for drivers above 65 years.

Additional Transport Commissioner Ravi Gidwani will oversee the enforcement and submit a report by end of next month.

The enforcement drive and legal challenges have significant implications for the auto and taxi services in Maharashtra. As the inspections continue, more drivers are being served notices, and both drivers and officials are engaged in a broader discussion about pick language requirements, the course availability, and the impact on livelihoods.