Representative image showing a passenger riding a bike taxi.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government informed the High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday that a "conscious" decision will be taken at the highest level on whether there should be a policy on bike taxis.
Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty stated this after a division bench headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked whether it was a conscious decision of the state to prohibit bike taxis in the absence of a policy.
The bench orally observed: "Give it a serious thought. There are lives at stake here."
During the hearing, the Advocate General submitted that there are around six lakh bike taxis in the state, and cited congestion and safety issues for not allowing bike taxis.
At this stage, Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru orally questioned the legality of the ban on bike taxi services.
"Is there material to show that this bike taxi service is causing congestion? Is it according to you that auto-rickshaws cause less congestion," he asked.
The bench pointed out that bike taxi operations are permitted in 13 states and provided affordable, safe, and efficient last-mile connectivity. It further orally pointed to the protection of livelihood rights under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution and asked whether the state had made a deliberate policy decision to disallow bike taxis.
"Today, even e-bikes are not allowed. Now, a completely legitimate trade is prohibited. So long as you are permitting a service, you can regulate it. The question is whether regulation would entail complete prohibition," the bench remarked.
At this stage, the AG said that the state government would take a "conscious decision" on the issue. He added that as of now, the state is not considering framing the guidelines but will only decide whether or not it should make a policy and if yes, then what policy.
The bench granted time till September 22 and adjourned the hearing.
The bench was hearing a batch of appeals against a single-bench order which held that bike taxis cannot operate unless the state notifies relevant guidelines under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Rules.
It added that measures are always open to the state government to frame such guidelines.
Bike taxis have been banned in Karnataka since June 16, 2025.
'Regulate, don't ban'
The Bike Taxi Welfare Association applauded the court’s "balanced and thoughtful observations" and reiterated its commitment to work with the government and stakeholders to ensure bike taxis operate safely, legally and sustainably, benefitting both commuters and operators.
Association president Adi Narayan urged the government to develop a robust regulatory framework for bike taxis instead of imposing an outright ban.