JOIN USSC rejects M'rashtra plea for CCTVs in dance bars
The Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained the Maharashtra government from installing CCTV cameras at dance bars and restaurants with live feed to the nearest police station.
The court rejected the plea that the move would help the administration in curbing illegal activities and harassment of women.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh, however, allowed the government to set up such cameras at the bar entrance.
The court asked the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association to comply with other conditions, like having three feet railing on the stage and no concealed room, within three days and directed the state government to grant licences for dance bars by March 15. As Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand pleaded with the court that several restaurant owners agreed to install CCTV cameras as these are considered public area under the law, the bench told her, “You can’t have CCTVs, for present now, let’s not have live feed to the police station. It is not a security issue. We also want law and order. We have already said the performance should be bereft of obscenity.”
The court also said that there would not be any non-removable partition between the restaurant and the permit room area. The bench, however, allowed the state government to verify criminal antecedents of bar employees. Senior advocate Jayant Bhushan, appearing for bar owners association, had objected to the condition of examining character of the staff.
With regard to the condition put by the state government that there would not be any concealed or cavity room in the bar, the bench gave its stamp of approval for it but said there should be a room which can be utilised as a green room, as “understood in the classical sense”.
The court put the matter for further consideration after two weeks, allowing senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for dancers, to file an intervention application.
The bar dancers claimed that they have a right to earn their living, which can’t be restricted by imposing public order conditions.
It could be judiciary vs legislature
Hours after the Supreme Court ordered the Maharashtra government to grant licences to dance bars by March 15, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it would bring in a legislation, DHNS reports from Mumbai.
“The government pleader in the Supreme Court informed that the court has accepted all conditions imposed by Maharashtra government on dance bars with few modifications, but the court has has disallowed the condition of live monitoring through CCTV and has asked to enforce surveillance at the entrance only,” Fadnavis said.