×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Bengaluru's bars, restaurants to remain ‘sanskari’

Last Updated 19 January 2019, 01:56 IST

While Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra will hog the limelight for the entertainment at dance bars, which would become a part of their social culture and also attract tourists, Bengaluru will remain ‘sanskari’.

The recent Supreme Court ruling has relaxed some stringent clauses from the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurant and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (Working therein) Act, 2016, and has allowed dancers to perform in front of patrons for their livelihood.

Though the apex court has passed orders that dancers can perform before patrons in Mumbai and other cities of Maharashtra, bars and restaurants in Bengaluru will not have any performances as the same court had upheld the rules that were framed by the Karnataka Government in 2005 that such performances could amount to obscenity and would further lead to crimes against women, outraging their modesty and dignity, sources in the police said.

“The honourable Supreme Court ruling in Maharashtra will not have any impact on Bengaluru or anywhere in Karnataka, as the rules that were framed by the Karnataka government in 2005 have been upheld by the same court,” said B K Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police (West Zone), under whom the Central Business District comes which has the largest number of pubs, bars and restaurants and also was once the hub of dance bars in the city.

When asked if there could be an option for opening dance bars in Bengaluru, Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said: “Though the honourable Supreme Court judgements are applicable to the entire country, we have to go through the order in detail to ascertain if some of the clauses could be followed here as well.”

“Until then the scenario is going to remain the same here. Generally, we will restrict dance bars here as there are chances of obscene dance performances where patrons shower dancers with currency notes. Even in Maharashtra, the SC is against it and we will not allow that,” Kumar added.

Women can continue working at city bars where liquor is served. Earlier in the Excise Act, one of the clauses stated that women were not allowed to be employed where liquor was sold or served.

But the clause was challenged on the grounds of their discrimination. The court struck it down stating women can work at bars and restaurants as they work in five-star hotels.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 18 January 2019, 18:42 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT