HC adjourns pub owners’ plea against police notices

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday adjourned the hearing of a batch of petitions filed by the Lovers Night Bar and Restaurant and others.

The petitions challenge the legality of the notice—for not having an occupancy certificate (OC) of the building or not obtaining the licence as per the norms—slapped by the city police on the petitioners who are also the owners and some of the live bands and bar and restaurants.

The police had issued the notice to these petitioners as they did not obtain licenses as per the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order, 2005. The order which regulates the restaurants and live bands was upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2018. Based on this verdict, the police had initiated the action.