The enforcement comes as the State’s appeal against a Karnataka High Court ruling permitting motorcycles to be considered for contract carriage permits is pending before the Supreme Court.
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The Karnataka Transport Department on Wednesday intensified its crackdown on unauthorised bike taxi services, seizing nearly 260 two-wheelers across Bengaluru in a city-wide enforcement drive.The department constituted special enforcement teams that carried out inspections at multiple locations, targeting bike taxis allegedly operating without valid contract carriage permits.Legal battle over bike taxi operations continuesThe latest action comes even as the Karnataka government has challenged a January 2026 Karnataka High Court ruling before the Supreme Court. The High Court had held that motorcycles cannot be denied contract carriage permits merely because they are two-wheelers, paving the way for bike taxi operations in the state.In its January verdict, the Division Bench observed that motorcycles are recognised as transport vehicles under the Motor Vehicles Act and are therefore eligible to be considered for contract carriage permits. It held that an outright ban on bike taxis would amount to an unreasonable restriction on the constitutional right to carry on a trade or profession.At the same time, the court clarified that the state government has the authority to regulate bike taxi services by prescribing conditions for granting permits under the existing legal framework. However, it said the government cannot reject permit applications solely because the vehicle is a motorcycle.The ruling set aside an April 2025 order by a single judge that directed app-based aggregators to suspend bike taxi operations until the state introduced a dedicated regulatory framework.Supreme Court appeal pendingThe Karnataka government has since moved the Supreme Court against the High Court judgment, arguing that the legal and regulatory framework governing bike taxis requires further judicial examination. While the matter remains pending before the apex court, the transport department has stepped up enforcement against operators it says are running services without the requisite authorisation.Published on August 5, 2026
