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Rajasthan HC orders 15 per cent female drivers on ride apps, issues 35 directives to curb cybercrime

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has directed the state government to substantially increase the number of women drivers on app-based ride-booking platforms, ordering that at least 15% of all such drivers must be women within the next six months, with the target rising to 25% over the following two to three years. The court also stated that ride-hailing apps should give women passengers the option to choose a woman driver as their first preference. The directive is part of a comprehensive set of 35 instructions issued by Justice Ravi Chirania, who described cybercrime as an unstoppable and rapidly escalating threat. The court has asked the government to establish a Rajasthan Cyber Crime Control Centre, similar to the Union governments Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). It noted that although the post of Director General, Cyber Crimes, was created in 2024, the state still does not have an adequate system to investigate or respond to cyber-related offences. The order came while the court was hearing bail pleas of two men from Gujarat, accused of posing as law-enforcement officers and cheating an elderly couple of 2.02 crore earlier this year. Both are currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, and their bail applications were rejected. Among the major directives, the High Court instructed telecom authorities to introduce strict verification before issuing a fourth SIM card to any individual. It also asked the government to monitor dead or inactive bank accounts closely and to redo their KYC through physical verification. Banks and financial institutions have also been told to suspend or deny internet banking services to accounts flagged as suspicious or to those that have recorded less than 50,000 in annual transactions over the past three years. The court further ordered that all gig workers operating in Rajasthan be brought under a formal registration system with the office of the Director General, Cyber Crimes. From 1 February next year, gig workers will be required to wear a uniform or follow a dress code, carrying a QR-coded ID card, which they must present whenever demanded by authorities or customers. The court also made it mandatory for all gig workers to be registered with the state Transport Department and to operate using commercial number plates. Additionally, the sale and purchase of second-hand digital devices will come under tighter scrutiny, and schools have been asked to implement a clear standard operating procedure regarding mobile phone usage for students up to Class 9 or those below 16 years of age.