Uber, Swiggy, others may face rules for partners soon

Online aggregators such as Uber, Swiggy, Amazon and Airbnb may soon have to follow uniform standards to sign up, assess and retain partners like drivers, delivery workers, vendors and property owners, three people familiar with the government's plans said.

- Dhirendra Kumar

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will formulate standards to assess partners across sectors such as ride-hailing, food delivery, e-commerce and homestays, the people cited above said on the condition of anonymity. The move may have a sweeping impact on India's digital platforms, standardizing partner treatment across platforms and ensuring that consumers experience consistent service quality.

In the absence of any common standard, companies follow their own procedures to engage and evaluate partners, often leading to inconsistencies and complaints on assessments, incentives and dispute redressal. In the past, partners of aggregator companies have taken to the streets to protest against alleged highhanded practices, forcing the government to mediate.

According to one of the three people cited above, this highlights a gap in the system, where some workers receive clear rules and benefits while others face inconsistent or unclear treatment, requiring standardized guidelines.