Thu Jan 23 07:12:24 UTC 2025: ## Madras High Court Seeks Guidelines for Food Delivery Workers After Crime Concerns
**Chennai, January 23, 2025** – The Madras High Court has ordered the Director General of Police (DGP) to respond to a petition demanding guidelines for online food and goods delivery partners. The petition, filed by Pudukottai pharmacy owner L.N. Nithyanantham, highlights concerns about the misuse of delivery uniforms by criminals.
Nithyanantham argues that the lack of regulation allows unscrupulous individuals to impersonate delivery agents, citing incidents of sexual harassment, theft, and even murder. He specifically referenced the July 2024 murder of BSP Tamil Nadu unit president K. Armstrong, where assailants disguised themselves as delivery personnel. The petitioner also pointed to news reports of chain snatching committed by individuals wearing delivery uniforms to evade suspicion.
The petition proposes mandatory uniforms and ID cards for delivery partners, and requests that they be prohibited from concealing their faces with helmets or masks. The court has issued notices to the DGP and online aggregators such as Swiggy, Zomato, Dunzo, and Zepto, requiring a response within four weeks. The court’s intervention follows a representation made by the petitioner to the DGP in November 2024.
First Piper 