MP High Court Directs Centre To Frame Nationwide Policy Regulating E-Rickshaws

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Central government to formulate and circulate a nationwide policy regulating E-rickshaws within 60 days in a public interest litigation, claiming such vehicles, in the absence of regulation, cause "congestion and anarchy on the road". [2026 LiveLaw (MP) 365]

The division bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh directed,

"Shri Praveen Kumar Newaskar is directed to in turn direct his client, i.e., Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Transport to frame a policy in regard to plying of e-rickshaws including regulation of their numbers on a road in a particular city including issuance of rout permits so as to facilitate their even movement in a locality decongesting the roads within a period of 60 days. The Union of India shall circulate the policy so framed within 60 days to all the State Governments including State of Madhya Pradesh"

Further, as far as Madhya Pradesh is concerned, the Court directed that the State Transport Commissioner will take a call and if any modifications are required taking into consideration geographical and demographical considerations, the same shall be done within further period of 30 days and the policy shall be notified in 120 days.

The PIL was filed raising the issue that e-rickshaws were introduced 10 years ago without regulation to manage their movement. The petitioner claimed that the lack of such rules led to a lot of congestion and anarchy on the road. 

Deputy Solicitor General Praveen Kumar Newaskar, for the Union, and Advocate Smriti Sharma for the State agreed with the petitioner's submission, claiming that the lack of Rules and Regulations is resulting in a "national problem". It was argued that the State police ought to be followed by the Union. 

Thus, the bench passed the following directions and granted liberty to the petitioner to file a revision if such a policy is not drafted and communicated within 120 days. 

The court further took serious note of the submissions by Government Advocate Manas Mani Verma, who informed that some models of e-rickshaws were not stable vehicles, leading to accidents from being toppled over. Thus, the sought directions for the Union to formulate a police which provides better maintenance of the centre of gravity to avoid such accidents. 

The court accordingly directed the Union to incorporate said suggestion while framing the policy. Accordingly, the bench disposed of the matter. 

For Petitioner: Sanjeev Kumar Mishra 

For Union: Deputy Solicitor General Praveen Kumar Newaskar

For State: Advocate Smriti Sharma