The Telangana High Court (HC) has issued notices to the State government, the Labour Commissioner, and Zomato India Pvt. Ltd. in a writ petition filed by delivery worker Mohd. Khaleel Ahmed, who says Zomato blocked his worker ID without notice or explanation. The petition came up before Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka who, after hearing arguments from Advocate Syed Mounis Abidi, sought responses from all parties
Khaleel, a 35-year-old delivery worker earning about Rs. 15,000 per month, said his ID was suddenly deactivated on November 7, 2024. He claimed that Zomato cited a vague “behavioural issue” but offered no evidence, no notice, and no opportunity to respond. This happened despite his maintaining a rating of 4.85 on the platform. The sudden cutoff pushed his family into rent arrears and left him without income.
He later approached the Labour Department. His complaint, filed on December 11, 2024, was forwarded to the Joint Commissioner of Labour, who issued notices to Zomato on February 4 and May 6. However, Zomato did not appear for either hearing. Khaleel then filed a Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) complaint. On June 13, 2025, the Joint Commissioner said he lacked the power to enforce compliance and advised Khaleel to move court. The writ petition seeks reinstatement, compensation, and directions to establish a fair grievance mechanism.
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) welcomed the High Court’s notice and criticised platforms for “arbitrary and opaque” ID blocking that cuts workers off from their only source of income and violates their rights under Articles 14 and 21, which protect equality before the law and the right to life and dignity.
Why the Case Highlights a Due-Process Gap
Khaleel’s petition shows how a platform can instantly remove a worker from the labour market without notice or recourse. India has now formally recognised gig and platform workers under the Labour Codes. However, his experience demonstrates that legal recognition alone does not create procedural protections. Workers remain vulnerable to unilateral platform decisions because they still cannot see the evidence against them, respond to allegations, or challenge deactivation.
Although his case predates the enforcement of the Labour Codes, the issues it raises have become sharper today. Platforms still control order visibility, behavioural flags, ratings, and access to work through systems that operate entirely within the company. This brings the central question into focus: can platforms continue blocking worker IDs overnight, without notice, reasons, or any form of appeal, even after gig workers have entered India’s labour framework? The gap between statutory recognition and real, enforceable rights remains wide.
What the Labour Codes Actually Changed
The Labour Codes, notified on November 21, 2025, formally bring gig and platform workers into India’s national…
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