The Supreme Court today ordered Maharashtra government to grant license to dance bars by March 15. The government also got a setback as the top court also waived off the condition to install CCTV cameras in the dance bars for live monitoring. This was one of the requisites laid down by the government to allow these bars to function.
Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of the state did not welcome the SC ruling, and said that the state cannot allow obscenity which it has witnessed in the past in dance bars. “We will approach the Supreme Court with an alternative,” he said.
The bench of Justice Depak Mishra amended seven of the 26 conditions earlier suggested by the state government. The court said that CCTV cameras can be installed only at the entrance of the restaurant, and not allowed in the permitted area. A railing of 3-ft between the performers and audience will also be set up.
The court further said that only four dancers will be allowed to be on stage and other artists may be present in the remitted area. The bench also asked for the permit room to be separated from restaurant with a non-removable partition. It also said that a green room on the lines of classic theatre be set up inside dancer bars.
The Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association (Petitioner) has to comply with the order in three days and the licence is to be given within 10 days thereafter .
The court also granted the liberty to mention the dance bar matter before the next date in case of non compliance of order.
The matter is to be listed after two weeks now.