Dictating a judgement on a petition challenging the controversial condition imposing Marathi on auto and taxi drivers, the Bombay High Court yesterday asked the state government if knowing Marathi was more important than commuters' safety.

A bench of justices Abhay Oka and Anuja Prabhudesai are dictating a judgement after the taxi and auto drivers from Thane, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai challenged a state government notification issued in October 2015, which was republished by RTOs in February 2016 under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules. The notification says that in order to get a taxi or auto permit, the driver must know Marathi.