Bengaluru: App-based bike taxi services, including Ola, Uber, and Rapido, have ceased operations in Karnataka following a High Court directive to suspend services. The court's decision comes after a single-judge order declared bike taxis illegal without government regulations.

A division bench of the Karnataka High Court refused to stay an earlier single-judge order that suspended bike taxi services in the state. The division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar, was hearing appeals filed by Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd (which operates Ola), and Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd (which operates Rapido), among others.

The court had initially given the companies six weeks to halt services, which was later extended to 12 weeks.

The division bench noted that it would have considered granting a stay on the order if the state had indicated progress in drafting the rules. However, the government stated that it had taken a policy decision not to frame such regulations, leading the court to deny relief to the aggregators. The bench issued notices to the state government and other respondents, setting the next hearing for June 24.

How did Ola, Uber and Rapido react?

Meanwhile, Ola Uber Drivers and Owners' Association president Tanveer Pasha demanded strict enforcement of the order. "The government should seize bikes operating illegally and take legal action against violators," he said.

Rapido, in a statement, acknowledged the court's decision and expressed concern for its riders. "Even though we are not the initiating party in the ongoing case, we have remained engaged as a responsible stakeholder. This is a challenging time for our captains—many of whom rely on bike taxis as their primary income source," it said.

The company reiterated its commitment to working with the government and Transport Department to develop a regulatory framework that is "compliant, sustainable, and future-ready."

"Our priority is to protect the interests of gig workers while ensuring commuter safety. We are actively pursuing all avenues to support our captains and hope our dialogue with the government leads to a viable policy, as seen in several other states and union territories," Rapido added.

Uber also confirmed the suspension of its bike taxi services from June 16.

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy confirmed that the companies must abide by the court's decision. 

PTI inputs