The high court on Tuesday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the state government’s “illegal” decision to allow plying of e-rickshaws, popularly known as Toto, across the state.

The division bench of Chief Justice T.B.N. Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee observed that it could not interfere in the matter because the vehicles were not manufactured by registered companies having the patent to produce e-vehicles.

Since the court declined to issue any order, the earlier interim order of the division bench of former chief justice of the court, Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharyya and Justice Arijit Banerjee, in August 18 last year will remain in force.

The division bench of Justice Bhattacharyya and Justice Banerjee had directed the state to take proper steps to register e-rickshaws in accordance with the Motor Vehicles Act and Patents Act or stop their operations by August 31, 2019.

The e-rickshaws are manufactured by small units, which are run without licences and registration, the lawyer representing the state had submitted in the court.

The division bench of Chief Justice Radhakrishnan and Justice Banerjee held that until the vehicles were manufactured by registered companies, those would not come under the provision of law. Until e-rickshaws are brought under law, no claim of compensation in the event of a death involving such a vehicle will be entertained.

A transport department official said: “It is impossible to stop plying of e-rickshaws, particularly in rural areas. The vehicles are an important mode of transport.”

Another PIL

A PIL was moved in the high court seeking CBI inquiry against the state transport commissioner and transport minister Suvendu Adhikari for allowing e-rickshaws to ply.