New Delhi, Sept. 15 -- Years ago, India's decision to carve out a special, exempted category for low-speed electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) gave rise to a quiet miracle. Besides unlocking a smarter and affordable way to commute, that farsighted vision allowed lakhs of first-time earners and gig workers, including women, to use light E2Ws to deliver goods and build livelihoods without needing a driver's licence. It is a policy success story worth protecting.

This is exactly why a small but consequential change in the proposed amendment to Rule 2(u) of the CMVR needs to be reexamined.

The draft notification retains some key conditions for a two-wheeled battery-operated vehicle to qualify for exemptio...