Sikh Coalition sues California DMV over ‘unlawful’ CDL removals
The Sikh Coalition has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Motor Vehicles, arguing that thousands of commercial drivers are facing the loss of their livelihoods due to DMV-caused clerical problems.
The Sikh Coalition filed for declaratory and injunctive relief last week in the Superior Court of California for Alameda County, citing nearly 20,000 California drivers who are slated to lose their commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
Munmeeth Kaur, legal director of the Sikh Coalition, said the state has a responsibility to address the situation because the underlying issues are not the drivers’ fault.
“The state of California must help these 20,000 drivers because, at the end of the day, the clerical errors threatening their livelihoods are of the CA-DMV’s own making,” Kaur said.
For working drivers, the stakes are straightforward: a CDL is the job. Losing it can mean an immediate loss of income and the ability to stay on the road.
The Sikh Coalition, which advocates for the civil rights of Sikhs, is seeking court orders that would clarify the legal situation and stop the DMV from moving forward with the removals tied to the alleged errors.