CCPA fines Ola Rs 10 lakh over pre-ride tip prompts, orders feature stopped
The Central Consumer Protection Authority has fined Ola's operator Rs 10 lakh, holding that its pre-ride 'tip' or 'add-on' prompts misled riders and were a dark pattern.
Key points
- The Central Consumer Protection Authority imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on ANI Technologies, which runs Ola, over its pre-ride tip prompts.
- The CCPA said Ola's own data for 1-15 June 2026 showed requests with an add-on were accepted less often, such as 38% against 62% in Delhi.
- The CCPA ordered Ola to stop asking for any payment above the upfront fare before a ride ends; riders can complain on helpline 1915.
Photo: MaxnaCarta / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped). Representational image.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh on ANI Technologies Private Limited, which runs the ride-hailing app Ola, over its pre-ride 'tip' or 'add-on' feature, according to a government release of 13 November 2026. The CCPA held that the prompts misled riders, were an unfair trade practice and used a dark pattern, a design that pushes users into choices they might not otherwise make. It has ordered Ola to stop the practice immediately.
What Happened
According to the CCPA, while the app searched for a driver it showed messages such as "Tip now to boost the chances of getting a ride sooner", above pre-set amounts. The authority said these suggested that paying extra would get a ride faster. Ola's own booking data for 1-15 June 2026 did not support this, the CCPA found: requests with an add-on were accepted in 38% of cases in Delhi against 62% without one, 40% against 68% in Bengaluru and 39% against 68% in Mumbai.
The CCPA said the suggested amounts rose from Rs 10-40 in May 2025 to as much as Rs 140, and the app allowed up to Rs 499. It held that renaming the tip an 'add-on' did not change the practice, that a tip is normally paid after a service, and that the prompt broke Clause 14.15 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregators Guidelines, 2025. It also found the design amounted to 'confirm shaming', implying riders who did not pay could face delays, and that the prompt could not be closed.
What It Means
Ola must remove every prompt, message or pre-set amount that seeks any payment above the upfront fare before a journey ends, whatever it is called, and pay the Rs 10 lakh penalty. The CCPA said it had earlier fined Rapido (Roppen Transportation Services Pvt. Ltd.) Rs 10 lakh for the same practice, and that cases against Uber and Namma Yatri are under investigation.
Riders who are asked for such payments, or face difficulty getting a service, can complain through the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 or e-Daakhil.
Source: PIB press release
This report describes enforcement actions and allegations on the public record, attributed to the officials cited. An order, FIR or chargesheet is not a conviction; parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Named in this report, or spotted an error? Corrections and responses: editor@oquilia.com. We correct errors promptly and record responses from named parties.
Sources & Citations
- PIB press release — Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution