The Karnataka High Court on Friday issued notice to the State government and other parties on appeals filed by ANI Technologies, which operates Ola, and Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, challenging a single-judge order that effectively barred bike taxi aggregators from operating in the State in the absence of a regulatory framework.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar directed, “Issue notice to the respondents, returnable on June 24. It is made clear that the appeal will be heard on the next date and no adjournments shall be sought.”

The court, however, declined the appellants’ plea to continue interim relief by restraining the authorities from taking coercive action until the appeals are decided. Observing that the State government had made a policy decision not to frame rules for regulating bike taxis, the Bench noted:

“If their stand was that they are in the process of framing rules, we could have considered extending interim relief. But in the present scenario, where the government has taken a conscious policy decision not to frame rules, such a direction cannot be granted.”

The single-judge order under challenge had given the State six weeks to ensure all bike taxi operations cease, with the deadline extended till June 15. As a result, operations of bike taxis like Ola, Uber, and Rapido are likely to be halted from June 16 across Karnataka.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, appearing for the appellants, contended that the single judge had acknowledged the possibility of using two-wheelers as transport vehicles. In response, Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty asserted, “No doubt about that, but it has to be under a policy.”

Counsel for Uber also relied on Central Government rules, arguing that in the absence of specific rules by the Karnataka government, bike taxi operations should be allowed to continue. However, to a specific query by the Bench on whether services could continue while rules are being framed, the AG maintained that they cannot be permitted to operate.

The appeals arise from petitions filed in 2022 by Uber India Systems, ANI Technologies (Ola), Roppen Transportation Services (Rapido), and another entity, seeking directions to the State to allow registration of motorcycles as transport vehicles and permit bike taxi aggregation. The High Court had earlier passed interim orders restraining coercive action against the petitioners.

However, in an order dated April 2, 2025, the single judge dismissed the petitions, citing a 2019 expert committee report highlighting safety and traffic concerns, and directed the State to frame relevant rules within three months.

Case Title: ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd & Ors v. State of Karnataka & Ors