Court warns aggregators as bike taxi services resume despite prohibition
The Karnataka High Court on Friday reiterated that bike taxi services remain unauthorized in Bengaluru and across the state. The court clarified that no aggregator company has been granted permission to operate such services and affirmed that the government is free to take legal action against violators.
The clarification came a day after app-based platforms like Rapido and Uber reportedly resumed their bike taxi operations in Bengaluru. During the hearing, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty informed the bench that soon after the court questioned the blanket ban earlier this week, several aggregators restarted services despite the prohibition.
Responding to this, Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice C.M. Joshi observed, We have passed no such order. If they have resumed business, the government is at liberty to act. The court, however, emphasized that individual bike owners should not be harassed, reiterating that earlier directions were aimed at aggregators rather than personal riders.
When lawyers argued that the state was considering introducing a bike taxi policy, the Advocate General dismissed such claims, stating that the government’s stand on the ban remained unchanged. The bench also noted that it would not interfere in policy decisions but would examine whether government actions were arbitrary or unreasonable.
Earlier, while hearing petitions filed by Ola, Uber, and Rapido, the court had suggested that the state explore regulation instead of an outright ban, citing the livelihood of drivers. The matter has now been adjourned until September 22 for further hearing, leaving the future of bike taxi operations uncertain.
