'Book cases against erring bars, discos and eateries'

The City police commissioner has shot off a memo to all the police station heads to stop deploying men to close bars and eateries, after stipulated hours. Instead, the top cop has instructed the jurisdictional officers to book cases against the erring outlets.

Excerpts from the memo: According to the existing rules and regulations, the bars, restaurants and discos have to close by 11.30 pm. Eateries and hotels serving food only, are to down the shutters by 12 midnight.

Complaints are pouring in stating that the policemen try to close the bars and restaurants before 11.30 pm and hotels before 12 midnight.

Follow rules

As considerable manpower is being deployed from the police stations to physically close the bars, restaurants and hotels, the Commissioner has issued the following instructions:

There is no need to deploy staff and under no circumstances, any force should be exercised to close bars and restaurants before 11.30 pm and Hotels before 12 midnight, respectively.

Police officers above the rank of constables should check the bars and restaurants after 11.40 pm to check if any such outlet is open. If it is possible, a case should be booked for violation of provisions of the Karnataka Excise Act and Rules and Conditions under Section 36 of the Karnataka Excise Act and the Licensee of the bar and restaurant and the manager of the bar and restaurant should be prosecuted. 

If any bar or restaurant is open beyond prescribed period more than once, the Excise Commissioner should be moved to cancel the license of the bar and restaurant.

Further they should be invariably prosecuted under Section 36 of the Karnataka Excise Act and if any hotel or eating house continues to open beyond 12 midnight, the licencee of the hotel and the manager should be prosecuted u/s 103 of The Karnataka Police Act.

Wherever possible, the bars and restaurants that are open after 11.30 p.m. and hotels after 12 midnight, should be videographed, adds the memo.