Marathi rule: Bombay High Court disposes plea by cab drivers as State government grants one-year time to learn language
The Bombay High Court disposed of a petition from cab drivers challenging a Maharashtra government mandate requiring them to learn Marathi. The state government granted a one-year extension to comply with the language requirement, leading the court to close the case.
Why it matters
The ruling highlights the ongoing tension between regional language mandates and the fundamental rights of migrant workers to earn a livelihood.
The Bombay High Court on Saturday (August 29, 2026) disposed of a petition filed by four cab drivers seeking a stay on the Maharashtra government's Marathi language mandate after it was informed about the state's decision to extend the timeline to learn the language by a year.
Additional government pleader Jyoti Chavan told a Bench of acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad that the government has decided to extend the time given to auto rickshaw and taxi drivers to learn the language by one year.
The High Court accepted the statement and disposed of the petition.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the timeline extension after a delegation met him on Thursday (August 27, 2026), halting immediate action against non-Marathi drivers and giving them more time to learn the language.
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