Karnataka HC lifts ban on bike taxis, orders state to issue permits

The Karnataka High Court on Friday lifted the ban on bike taxis, paving the way for the resumption of services across the state. Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said he had not yet received a copy of the order and would comment after reviewing it. However, he said the division bench of the High Court had quashed the single-bench order. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi was hearing appeals filed by transport technology aggregators Uber India Systems Private Limited, ANI Technology Private Limited, Bike Taxi Owners Welfare Association, and other individual bike taxi owners. Vehicle owners had filed applications for the registration of their vehicles as transport vehicles. The HC bench granted liberty to the state government to impose additional conditions for licences under the present rules for transport technology aggregators.
"Taxi owners are allowed to apply to register motorcycles as transport vehicles or contract carriages, and the state must consider these applications in accordance with the law. Aggregators are also free to submit fresh applications, which must be processed following the court’s observations," the order said. The court said that while the state can examine all relevant aspects of applications, it cannot refuse taxi registration simply because the vehicle is a motorcycle.
Earlier, on April 2, 2025, a single bench had disposed of the vehicle owners’ petitions, referring to an expert committee report of 2019 on the impact of bike taxis on traffic and safety. The judge had banned Rapido, Ola, and Uber from operating their bike taxi services. The single judge had ruled that unless the state government notifies the relevant guidelines under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and frames rules, Rapido, Ola, and Uber cannot function as aggregators for bike taxis.

(State Correspondent)