Karnataka High Court Suspends Bike Taxi Services: Media Reports

In a significant setback for bike taxi aggregators, the Karnataka High Court has ruled that services like Rapido, Ola and Uber cannot operate bike taxis in the state until the government formulates specific regulations under Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

The court has directed the transport department to ensure that all bike taxi operations cease within six weeks, the Indian Express reported.

Justice B M Shyam Prasad, delivering the order, stated that bike taxi operators must suspend services until the state government notifies relevant guidelines and rules. The court has given the government three months to draft the necessary regulations for these services.

"The transport department cannot be directed to register motorcycles as transport vehicles or issue contract carriage permits for such services until appropriate government regulations are in place," Justice Prasad said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Arun Kumar pointed out that Ola launched its bike taxi services only in April 2024. While the court acknowledged this, it maintained that all petitioners must comply with the directive to halt operations.

The judgment also referenced a 2019 expert committee report that examined the impact of bike taxis on traffic and safety.