The Karnataka High Court on Friday lifted the statewide ban on bike taxi services, overturning an earlier single-judge ruling that had upheld the prohibition imposed by the Siddaramaiah-led government. The decision marked a significant reversal of policy and reopened the door for two-wheeler taxi operations across Karnataka.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi allowed appeals filed by multiple ride-hailing aggregators, including Ola, Uber and Rapido. The court held that motorcycles can legally be used as transport vehicles, provided operators comply with statutory requirements and obtain the necessary approvals under existing transport laws.
Setting aside the April 2025 order that had enforced the ban, the bench directed individual bike owners as well as aggregators to apply for the required licences and registrations. It further instructed the Karnataka government to process and grant permits strictly in accordance with prevailing legal provisions, without introducing additional restrictions outside the law.
The court clarified that while the state authorities are free to examine applications on their merits and assess compliance with safety and regulatory norms, they cannot reject applications solely on the ground that the vehicle in question is a motorcycle. According to the bench, such blanket refusal would be arbitrary and inconsistent with the statutory framework governing transport vehicles.
In its detailed observations, the court stated that motorcycle owners are entitled to seek registration of their vehicles as transport vehicles or contract carriages, and that these applications must be considered objectively. It also noted that aggregators are free to submit fresh applications, which the government is duty-bound to process in line with the court’s findings and the applicable law.
The blanket ban on bike taxi services had come into force in June last year, following an earlier High Court verdict that upheld a government order declaring bike taxi operations by platforms such as Rapido, Ola and Uber Moto illegal. The state had justified the ban by citing the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework governing bike taxis.
At the time, aggregators had appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, seeking urgent intervention to prevent the shutdown. They had warned that the ban would adversely affect the livelihoods of thousands of riders and deprive commuters of an affordable and efficient mode of daily transport.
Despite the prohibition remaining in force, bike taxi operator Rapido resumed services in August 2025 without explicit court approval. This move triggered a complaint from the Karnataka State Private Transport Association, which alleged that the company’s actions amounted to contempt of court and sought legal action against the operator.
