“Are You Banning Bike Taxis Deliberately?” Karnataka HC Asks State as Rapido Defends Aggregators’ Role

The Karnataka High Court questioned whether the ongoing ban on bike taxis was a conscious policy decision by the State, during appeals filed by Ola, Uber, Rapido and others.

The petitions challenge a single judge’s April ruling that bike taxis cannot operate without specific rules under the Motor Vehicles Act. Senior Advocate Uday Holla, appearing for Rapido, argued that bike taxis support commuters and aggregators enhance safety and regulation.

The Court criticised the State’s blanket reliance on the MV Act, calling it a “thin” argument, and noted that several other states allow bike taxis under the same framework.