Karnataka HC lifts ban on bike taxis, clears way for regulated operations

Bengaluru: In a major boost to Karnataka’s transport sector, the High Court on Friday set aside the state government’s earlier order that banned the operation of bike taxis.

The High Court clarified that bike owners and aggregators must apply for authorisation to use motorcycles as transport vehicles, in response to appeals filed by Uber India, Roppen Transportation Services (Rapido), ANI Technologies (Ola), the Bike Taxi Owners’ Welfare Association, and several individual bike taxi owners. 

It also underlined that the state government is legally bound to process such applications and issue permits and licences in accordance with existing laws.

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A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi delivered the ruling while hearing petitions filed by ride-hailing aggregators such as Rapido and Uber, which had challenged the government’s decision to classify bike taxi services as illegal. Responding to the verdict, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said he was yet to examine the full judgment and would consult the Transport Commissioner before deciding the government’s next steps.

By quashing the ban, the court paved the way for the resumption of bike taxi services and directed the state government to frame and notify a comprehensive regulatory policy to govern their operation.

The ban had caused significant hardship to students and IT professionals who relied on bike taxis for last-mile connectivity after commuting via BMTC buses and the Metro. The ruling is expected to bring relief to both commuters and gig workers, signalling a move towards formally integrating bike-hailing services into the state’s urban mobility ecosystem.

Relief for gig workers after months of protest

The verdict brings significant relief to thousands of bike taxi riders whose livelihoods were hit after services were suspended. Operations had come to a halt following the High Court’s refusal earlier in June to grant interim relief against the state’s ban, triggering widespread protests by gig workers who said the decision had severely affected their income.

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The Namma Bike Taxi Association, which represents riders across Karnataka, had repeatedly urged the government to roll back the ban. In June, the association wrote to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, seeking his intervention to protect the livelihoods of lakhs of gig workers in the state

“Over one lakh gig workers in Bengaluru and across Karnataka are losing their right to earn and feed their families due to a blanket ban on bike taxi services,” the association said in its letter, calling the prohibition a threat to the dignity and survival of workers dependent on the sector for daily income.

Following the enforcement drive, a delegation of around 110 bike taxi riders met Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju in June 2025, urging the government to reverse its decision. The riders submitted a memorandum demanding legal recognition for bike taxis and a clear regulatory framework to address what they described as persistent harassment and policy uncertainty.