Maharashtra govt to ban dancing even in five star hotels

A report in  CNN-IBN has indicated that the Maharashtra government would amend an existing act that allows dance performances in 3 star hotels and above, instead of implementing a Supreme Court order lifting a 2005 ban on dance bars.

The Supreme Court had scrapped an earlier ban on dance bars on the basis of the clause, saying it was discriminatory to shut down small dance bars but let the bigger hotels function as usual.

Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil told the state assembly that the alleged discrimination in the amendment to the Bombay Police Act would be scrapped as well. The state govt could also bring in an ordinance banning dance bars.

Earlier he said that dance bars corrupt the society and added that the government would fight to get the ban back.

“Lawyers will study the verdict and decide on whether we need to file a review petition, approach the full bench (of the SC) or pass a new law in the legislature,” he said then.

Dance performances were banned in 2005 in Maharashtra’s bars.

Bar owners will now have to apply for a licence to the government before re-opening.

In its judgement the Supreme Court observed, “A large number of imaginative alternative steps could have been taken instead of completely prohibiting dancing, if the real concern of the state is the safety of women.”

The Mahasrashtra police has also voiced its opposition to the lifting of the ban, calling dance bars “dens of anti-social elements”.

With inputs from agencies