The Karnataka High Court, lifted the ban on bike taxis. The Court said the State may impose regulatory conditions but cannot reject taxi registration applications merely because the vehicle is a motorcycle.
The Karnataka High Court lifted the ban on bike taxi services in the state, a decision made by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi.
This ruling allows appeals from cab aggregators such as ANI Technologies (owner of OLA cabs), Uber, and Rapido, which contested a previous directive from a single judge ordering a halt to bike taxi operations until the state establishes regulatory rules.
The Division Bench cancelled the single-judge’s April 2025 ruling that enforced the bike taxi ban. The Court stated that bike taxi operators are permitted to apply for the registration of their two-wheelers as transport vehicles or taxis.
While the state may evaluate all relevant factors to decide on these applications, it cannot deny taxi registration solely based on the vehicle being a motorcycle.
The Court emphasized,
“Taxi owners are at liberty to file applications for registration of the vehicle as transport vehicle … We direct the State government to consider such applications for registration of the owner of vehicle as transport vehicle and grant permission to operate as contract carriages. While concerned authorities are not precluded from examining the relevant aspects, the same will not be denied on the ground that motorcycles cannot be operated as transport vehicle or contract carriages. The regional transport authority may impose such conditions as it may consider necessary … in accordance with law, having regard to Section 74(2) MV Act. Aggregators are also at liberty to file fresh applications…and in the event such applications are filed, they will be considered in accordance with law and observations of this court. Impugned Order is set aside and Appeals are allowed in the aforesaid terms.”
Previously, a single-judge order by Justice B Shyam Prasad on April 2, 2025, mandated the cessation of all bike taxi services in Karnataka within six weeks.
The Court articulated that unless the state opts to revise its policy and develop rules to authorize bike taxis, these vehicles cannot legally operate.
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The six-week cessation was later extended upon a request from affected bike operators, who also filed appeals against the single judge’s April order. Individual bike taxi drivers and the Bike Taxi Welfare Association participated in these appeals, which the Division Bench approved today.
During the hearings, the Bench consistently pressed the state regarding its delays in creating effective regulations for bike taxi operations in Karnataka, indicating a willingness to lift the ban if such regulations were not implemented promptly.
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