Just days after Karnataka enacted a statewide prohibition on bike taxi services, two individual riders have filed a petition in the High Court, arguing that the move infringes upon their constitutional right to earn a livelihood, according to a PTI update.
Effective June 16, the ban—which covers Bengaluru and the entire state—was introduced to crack down on unauthorized services. However, it has led to increased traffic jams and inflated fares for autos and cabs across ride-hailing platforms.
The ban is rooted in an April decision by a single judge, which prohibited the registration of motorcycles as commercial transport vehicles under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, due to an absence of proper operational rules. The directive also blocked contract carriage permits for two-wheelers.
In court, a senior lawyer representing the petitioners asserted that the restriction contradicts existing laws. He stated that the Act allows motorcycles to be categorized as transport vehicles and that the state lacks the jurisdiction to deny registrations, a power reserved for the central government.
He contended that the state’s blanket restriction encroaches on citizens’ rights to choose their means of transport and undermines personal autonomy. Backed by aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido, the petition also emphasized that broad bans aren’t the answer to safety concerns; instead, robust regulations and policy revisions should be pursued.
The case has been scheduled for further hearing on June 25