The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to respond to a petition filed by a body representing app-based delivery persons seeking statutory benefits, social security rights and recognition as “unorganised workers” for them.

A Bench led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao issued notice on the petition filed by the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), which represents ‘gig-workers’ employee by online food and taxi apps such as Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and Uber.

“We seek a declaration that the drivers or delivery workers are actually workmen in the classical sense of the word. Worldwide for Uber they have been considered as workers,” senior advocate Indira Jaising, for IFAT, submitted. She referred to how the U.K. Supreme Court had concluded that the relationship between the online app and these workers were that of employer-employee. These workers were eligible for social security under the existing laws. “See the Unorganised Workmen Act. If you see the definition of an unorganised worker,” she submitted.