Bengaluru, Jan. 23 -- The Karnataka High Court on Friday lifted the ban on bike taxi services in the State, setting aside an earlier single-judge order that had upheld the state government's prohibition on their operations.

A division bench headed by the Chief Justice allowed appeals filed by app-based aggregators, including Ola and Uber, ruling that motorcycles can be used as transport vehicles, subject to permissions under existing laws. The court directed that bike owners or aggregators must apply for the required licences, and the state government is obligated to issue permits in accordance with prevailing legal provisions.

The ruling brings relief to thousands of bike taxi riders who had been affected after services were halted fol...