The Karnataka High Court on Friday lifted the ban on bike taxi services in the state, overturning an earlier single-judge order that had upheld the Siddaramaiah government’s prohibition. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi ruled that motorcycles can be used as transport vehicles or contract carriages, provided legal requirements are met.
Setting aside the April 2025 ban order, the court directed bike owners and aggregators such as Ola, Uber and Rapido to apply for licences and instructed the state government to issue permits in accordance with the law. The bench clarified that while the government can examine applications, it cannot reject them solely because the vehicle is a motorcycle. The ruling comes after the state imposed a blanket ban in June last year, citing the absence of a regulatory framework for bike taxis.
