New Delhi, September 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The government has directed cab aggregators to discontinue the option allowing consumers to tip drivers before a ride is booked, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said on Wednesday, describing the practice as misleading and an unfair trade practice.
Khare, who also heads the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), said the National Consumer Helpline had received several complaints concerning taxi and ride-hailing aggregators. A key concern was the introduction of an advance tipping option before consumers had actually taken a ride.
According to Khare, consumers had complained that they were encouraged to pay a tip in advance and were given the impression that declining to do so could affect their chances of securing a ride.
“We found this to be misleading and also an unfair trade practice,” Khare said.
She said the authorities conducted a detailed investigation and hearing before directing platforms to discontinue the built-in mechanism.
Khare stressed that tipping is voluntary and should remain entirely at the consumer’s discretion after completion of the ride.
Her remarks came a day after the CCPA imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, operator of ride-hailing platform Rapido, over alleged unfair business practices. The action covered concerns relating to advance tipping, misleading advertisements, unfair contract terms and the use of dark patterns that allegedly encouraged riders to make additional payments before their rides were confirmed.
The CCPA is also examining the business practices of other major ride-hailing platforms, with investigations into Uber and Ola currently underway, Khare said.
The broader review covers cab and bike-taxi aggregators operating in India and includes practices such as pre-ride tipping and dynamic pricing.
The CCPA had earlier issued notices to Uber, Ola, Rapido and Namma Yatri, directing them to comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.
Dark patterns are deceptive or manipulative interface designs intended to influence consumers into making choices they might not otherwise have made.
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