HC flags police inaction against Indiranagar pubs

The high court has expressed displeasure with an affidavit filed by the Home Department about the action it took in response to complaints against pubs in the residential areas of Indiranagar.

Hearing a PIL petition by the Defence Colony Residents’ Association and others against the mushrooming of pubs in the tony locality, a division bench of Chief Justice A S Oka and Justice H T Narendra Prasad noted that the police failed to conduct a spot inspection of the pubs.

The bench orally observed that the police did not even have the proper equipment to measure sound pollution. The police complaints were registered in 2017 but no action has been taken so far, the court pointed out.

The petitioners stated that pubs are operating illegally and are causing hardships to local residents. There are at least 100 alcohol establishments within a 2-km radius, they added.

The court ordered the police to submit a proper affidavit by June 20 about what action they took over representations against the pubs.

Any failure to do so will result in the summoning of the police commissioner, the court warned.