Karnataka HC lifts ban on bike taxis, directs state govt to issue permits

Bike taxi services can resume in Karnataka after the High Court set aside the state ban; the court said riders and aggregators must apply for licences and the government must issue permits as per law

The Karnataka High Court on Friday lifted the ban on bike taxi services in the state, overturning an earlier order by a single judge that had supported the state government’s decision to stop such operations.

 

A division Bench allowed appeals filed by app-based ride aggregators such as Ola and Uber. The court held that motorcycles can be used as transport vehicles, provided they follow existing laws and rules.

 

Licences mandatory for bike taxi operations

 

The court clarified that bike owners or aggregators must apply for the required licences to run bike taxi services. It also directed the state government to issue permits, per the law, once applications are submitted.

 

 

This ruling means bike taxi services can legally operate again, as long as they meet all regulatory requirements under current transport laws.

 

The decision comes as a major relief for thousands of bike taxi riders whose services had been stopped after the High Court, in June last year, refused to stay the government’s ban. The suspension had led to widespread protests by gig workers, who claimed that the move had severely impacted their income and daily livelihood.

 

Riders’ association had sought political intervention

 

The Namma Bike Taxi Association, which represents bike taxi riders across Karnataka, had repeatedly asked the government to reconsider the ban. In June, the association wrote to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, seeking his help.

 

"Over 1,00,000 gig workers in Bengaluru and across Karnataka are losing their right to earn and feed their families because of a blanket ban on bike taxi services," the association said in its letter. It warned that the ban threatened the dignity and survival of riders dependent on daily earnings.

 

Services were suspended in June 2025

 

In June 2025, bike taxi services run by Ola, Uber and Rapido were suspended after the High Court ordered an immediate halt to operations. Following the directions, the companies removed bike taxi options from their apps.

 

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had then confirmed that aggregators were required to comply with the court’s order. "Three months ago, the court ruled that bike taxis are illegal. It initially gave six weeks, and then another six weeks on request. Now that 12 weeks have passed, the aggregators must follow the High Court order," Reddy had told PTI.

 

After the crackdown, around 110 bike taxi riders from the association met Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju in June 2025. During the meeting, they urged the government to roll back the ban.

 

The riders also submitted a petition demanding legal recognition for bike taxis and a clear policy framework to end what they described as harassment and regulatory confusion.

 

(With agency inputs)