Uber defends bike-taxi aggregation in Karnataka high court, questions state ban

Bengaluru: Uber India Friday argued before the high court that if motorcycles are permitted to operate as taxis, there should be no legal barrier to their aggregation through platforms like Uber. The submission was made during a hearing on a batch of appeals concerning the legality of bike taxis in the state.Senior advocate Srinivasa Raghavan, representing Uber, contended that aggregators play a key role in improving last-mile connectivity and alleviating traffic congestion. He said both the operation and aggregation of two-wheelers for commercial use are supported by existing legal provisions, including Section 93 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which governs aggregator licensing.Raghavan said the state govt lacks the authority under Motor Vehicles Act and even the Constitution to impose a ban on two-wheeler aggregation.