Bike taxis are not public transport vehicles, Karnataka tells Supreme Court
‘The statutory framework clearly contemplates that the grant of permits is not automatic but subject to scrutiny based on considerations of public safety, suitability of the vehicle, and regulatory preparedness,’ the State argues
Karnataka government argued before the Supreme Court on August 11, 2026 that a State High Court's decision allowing bike taxis disregards safety concerns, accidents, and congestion. The case was postponed for further review. Karnataka's advocate, Sanchit Garga, said restricting two-wheelers to taxis was justified in the public interest.
The State didn't prohibit motorcycles altogether, but limited their use to carrying passengers. The High Court in January 2026 overruled a decision from April 2025 that blocked bike taxi services until the State framed a policy. The Division Bench, however, claimed that bike taxi operators and individual motorcycle owners had a "crystallised right" to obtain permits under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
The High Court also deemed motorcycles as 'transport vehicles' and directed authorities to consider contract carriage permits for them. Karnataka argued that the January 2026 decision limited the State's discretion in granting or denying permits to a "mere formality." They contended that the 1988 Act's definitions did not equate motorcycles with motor cabs or contract carriages, as the High Court had done, creating an undefined vehicle category for public safety.
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