CCPA fines Ola ₹10 lakh over pre-ride tipping feature, orders discontinuation

New Delhi The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on ride-hailing platform Ola for misleading consumers through its pre-ride tipping feature, which suggested that paying an additional amount could improve their chances of securing a ride faster. According to a release issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution on Friday (November 13, 2026), the authority directed ANI Technologies Private Limited, which operates Ola, to immediately discontinue the practice, holding it to be an unfair trade practice and a dark pattern.

The order was passed by the CCPA, headed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, following an examination of the platform's pre-ride 'tip' and 'add-on' features. The authority found that messages such as "Adding a tip might help increase the chances of getting a ride faster" and "Tip now to boost the chances of getting a ride sooner" created a misleading impression that additional payments could accelerate ride confirmation.