The Delhi High Court today refused to stay an MCD order levying fees on auto rickshaws for displaying advertisements on the vehicles.

While refusing to grant any interim stay over the civic agency's order, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw asked the court's single judge bench to decide expeditiously the auto drivers' plea challenging the MCD fiat demanding Rs 1000 a month from auto rickshaws for displaying ads.

"We decline to interfere with the order of single judge.

The writ petition is dismissed," said the division bench, turning down the auto-rickshaw drivers' appeal against a single judge's order, who too had refused to stay the MCD order.

Counsel Prasant Bhushan appearing for the petitioner said the MCD cannot charge fees from the auto rickshaws as the MCD Act specifically bars the civic body from demanding it.

He also said Rs 120 was the maximum amount that can be charged from an auto rickshaw by the civic agency.

Counsel appearing for the civic body said as per the MCD's Outdoor Advertisement Policy, the civic body is entitled to charge fee for grant of permission to display ads on auto rickshaws.

Bhushan, however, opposed it saying the Outdoor Advertisement policy did not deal with autorickshaws.

MCD is demanding Rs 1000 per month per auto rickshaw as fee for displaying ads on the vehicles. Earlier the amount was Rs 400.