Karnataka High Court Allows Bike Taxis, Calls Blanket Ban Unreasonable

The Karnataka High Court has lifted the ban on bike taxi services in the State, allowing operators to resume services subject to legal permissions.

A Division Bench led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi set aside an earlier single-judge order that had stopped bike taxis until specific rules were framed. The Court was hearing appeals filed by app-based aggregators such as Rapido, Uber, and Ola.

The Court held that a complete ban on bike taxis is unreasonable and violates the constitutional right to trade. It observed that motorcycles used for bike taxi services fall within the definition of “transport vehicles” under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Therefore, the State cannot deny permits only because the vehicle is a motorcycle.

While the government is free to regulate bike taxis and impose conditions, it cannot refuse applications for permits solely on this ground. The Court clarified that bike taxi operators may apply for contract carriage permits, and authorities must consider such applications according to law.

The judgment also noted that the existing regulatory framework for taxis may need revision to properly address bike taxi services in the State.