In a significant move to address public safety concerns, the Madras High Court on Thursday issued notices to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, the State government, and leading private delivery aggregator firms, including Swiggy, Zomato, and Zepto. The notices come in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner Nithyanantham, highlighting the misuse of delivery personnel uniforms by criminals.
The petitioner argued that the absence of uniform guidelines—such as mandatory ID cards or proper uniforms for delivery partners—has allowed miscreants to impersonate delivery agents and commit crimes.
Justice P. Velmurugan, presiding over the matter, observed, “The lack of regulation in the operations of delivery partners raises serious safety concerns. There must be a structured framework to ensure both the security of customers and the accountability of these delivery personnel.” The Court has directed all respondent parties to file their responses within four weeks.
The PIL emphasized the gravity of the issue, citing the murder of lawyer and Bahujan Samaj Party Tamil Nadu unit president K. Armstrong in July 2024 in Chennai. The crime was allegedly committed by assailants posing as delivery agents, underscoring the urgency for intervention.
The petitioner urged the Court to direct the State government and private firms to implement strict measures, such as mandatory uniforms, ID card displays, and verified identification of delivery agents. He asserted that these steps would help curb criminal activities and bolster the safety of customers.
