Synopsis
On Wednesday, a two-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi, asked the state to give the matter a “serious thought” as many lives were at stake. It then adjourned the matter to September 22.
Bike taxis were seen plying on Bengaluru roads again on Thursday after a two-month hiatus. Ride-hailing aggregators such as Uber, Rapido, and Ola resumed bike taxi services after the Karnataka High Court (HC) questioned the state government on the blanket ban on the trade. Many citizens were seen using the services within hours of the feature being made available on the apps.
On Wednesday, the HC pulled up the government, asking why the trade cannot be regulated instead of being prohibited. The two-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi, asked the state to give it “serious thought” as many lives were at stake, while adjourning the matter to September 22. The division bench was hearing appeals filed by Ola, Uber, and Rapido on August 20 when the remarks were made.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters that the HC has given the state a month to decide whether to frame a bike taxi policy but clarified that the court has not formally permitted service providers to resume operations. He added that a decision will be taken after consultations with enforcement agencies.
The court observed that bike taxis are legally permitted in 13 states, calling it a recognised trade protected under Article 19(1)(g). It described the ban as a “de facto prohibition,” stressing that a legitimate trade cannot be banned outright under the Constitution, though the state is free to regulate the sector. The Central Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025 also permit bike taxi operations, subject to state approval.
Source: www.economictimes.indiatimes.com