The Karnataka High Court questioned whether the new Gig Workers Act covers bike taxis and said it is “inclined to pass a full-fledged stay” on the ban if rules are not framed. The case will be heard again on October 15.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court raised an important question about the state’s new law meant to protect gig workers on Thursday. The Court asked whether this new law also covers bike taxi operations and indicated that it may consider putting a stay on the ban of bike taxis if no proper rules are made for such services.
The Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi was informed by the State’s Advocate General (AG) Shashi Kiran Shetty that the government has recently passed a law to provide protection to gig workers who are working in delivery services and on online platforms.
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AG Shetty explained that this new law is called the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025.
He said the Act is designed to look after the interests of all gig workers, including those associated with popular platforms like Uber, Ola, Zepto, and others. He further pointed out that the Act also applies to gig workers linked with aggregators that provide ride-sharing services.
The law received the Governor’s assent on September 11, 2025, and was officially notified the very next day.
Even after hearing this, the Court wanted clarity on whether the law actually covers bike taxi drivers. The Chief Justice remarked,
“We are inclined to pass a full-fledged stay at this stage. One month we have given for government to come up with some policy for riders and nothing was done. You came up with it (a policy) for gig workers.”
To this, AG Shetty responded by starting to say,
“These are for two wheelers milords,”
but the Bench quickly stated,
“Anyway, we will hear it,”
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before postponing the matter to October 15.
The appeals in this case have been filed by big cab aggregators like ANI Technologies (which owns OLA Cabs), Uber, Rapido, along with some individual bike taxi drivers and the Bike Taxi Welfare Association.
They are challenging the earlier order of a single-judge Bench which had directed that bike taxi services in Karnataka must be stopped until the State creates clear rules for their operations.
During the proceedings today, AG Shetty also told the Court that many cab aggregators are still running bike taxi services in open defiance of the Court’s earlier ban. He submitted that, in doing so, they are in contempt of court orders.
The Bench, however, requested the State government not to take any harsh or coercive steps against the individual bike taxi drivers who are only trying to earn their livelihood.
Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, appearing for a group of bike taxi owners, pressed the Court to stay the single-judge’s ban order.
He highlighted the difficulties faced by bike taxi riders by saying that, unlike auto rickshaw drivers who can park their vehicles at auto stands when not working, bike taxis have no such stands available. This leaves them stranded while the ban is in force.
After hearing all the sides, the High Court decided that the matter required more detailed consideration and adjourned the case for further hearing on October 15.
Case Title:
ANI Technologies Private Limited v. State of Karnataka, and connected matters
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