Bengaluru bike owners told the High Court that the state government has no authority to ban bike taxis, as the Motor Vehicles Act permits two-wheelers to be registered as transport vehicles. Hearing adjourned to Wednesday.
Bengaluru: In the Karnataka High Court, lawyers representing two-wheeler owners argued that the state government cannot refuse to register bikes as transport vehicles or deny carriage permits for bike taxis. They cited provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act that allow registration of two-wheelers as transport vehicles.
Division bench hears appeal against bike taxi ban
A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice V. Ramesh Rao heard appeals filed by aggregators Ola, Uber, and Rapido. The companies are challenging a single bench's earlier ruling that banned bike taxi services in the state.
Lawyers say registration is sufficient; no need for extra permission
Advocates V. Mahendra Reddy and Madhu Kiran, representing bike owners, emphasised that as long as vehicle registration complies with the law, the government’s separate permission is not required. They also noted that services have been halted for over ten days, which has affected daily commuters.
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Government panel claims Bengaluru doesn't need bike taxis
Despite the government's appointed committee stating that Bengaluru does not require bike taxi services, lawyers pointed out that over one lakh such taxis operate across the city, offering low-cost and fast transport options widely used by the public.
Legal backing from other states cited
The legal team also highlighted that eleven Indian states allow bike taxis under their respective laws. Since there is no legal prohibition, they argued that the state government cannot arbitrarily restrict bike taxi operations.
Court adjourns hearing to Wednesday. After hearing the arguments, the High Court adjourned the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.
