Rapido, Uber, and Ola Halt Services After Court Ruling
The bike taxi services have been suspended across Karnataka. Rapido, Uber, and Ola suspended their services from Monday morning onwards. The action came after an order was passed by the Karnataka High Court.
Rapido asserted that it suspended its services to obey the court's order. The organization also indicated that it is in talks with the government to resume its operations. Uber has rebranded its bike taxi service option as Moto Courier, while Ola has eliminated the bike taxi feature altogether from its platform.
Legal Background Behind the Suspension
Karnataka High Court's single bench had previously ordered a halt to bike taxi services, stating that the services do not exist in the Motor Vehicle Act. The court gave June 15 as the deadline for compliance.
The decision was challenged by cab service firms. But the division bench retained the previous ruling, affirming that bike taxi services would be suspended from Monday.
Next Steps and Government Response
The High Court directed the Karnataka state government to respond by June 20. The case is coming up for hearing on June 24. All bike taxi services in the state have been suspended for the time being.
Impact on Gig Workers and Appeal for Intervention
The Namma Bike Taxi Association expressed apprehension regarding the impact of the ban on gig workers. In letters addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the association cautioned that the suspension would impact several livelihoods. It has sought intervention to resolve the problem.
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