A day after the Supreme Court asked the Maharashtra government to issue licences to eight dance bars within two days, it remained unclear whether bar owners will get the same on Thursday. Bar owners fear that even if they get the licences, it could be revoked for some reason or the other.
On Wednesday, the Mumbai Police said they were yet to get any direction from the State government for issuing licences. However, State officials said there was no reason to issue any fresh direction to the police.
“The Supreme Court has given a directive to the State government to issue licences but we have to go by the State’s laws. We can issue licences if bar owners comply with all conditions or if the State directs us to do so,” said a police official. “The police will have to seek legal opinion, check how many bar owners have given the undertaking as directed by the Supreme Court, and then issue licences,” said an official.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a rule put by the Maharashtra government that none of the employees of the bars should have criminal records. The bar owners submitted bio-data of their staff to the designated authority in the police on Wednesday. They said an employee having a criminal background could not be the reason for the cancellation of bar licence. “The apex court’s direction is that owners should file an affidavit, that those with criminal cases pending against them will not be allowed in the bar area. We are doing that, but is a pending criminal case reason enough for not allowing a person to work? A person cannot be called a criminal until convicted,” said Bharat Thakur, president of the Dance Bars Association.
Bar owners said the conditions include non-consumption of liquor in the bar area, and penalties ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 10 lakh if any of the rules — showering cash on dancers, obscenity — are flouted. Mr. Thakur said the police told them that they could collect the licences but they would be given a time only on Thursday morning.
Owners also fear that even if the licences are issued those could be revoked later as was done in the past.
The Supreme Court had on March 3 directed the State government to issue licences to dance bars within a fortnight. While the police did issue licences on March 15, the State revoked them a few days later for non-compliance with conditions. The bar owners had to comply with 26 conditions. The State government added more conditions in its recently-notified dance bar regulations. The bar owners then filed an application in the apex court pointing out how the State failed to comply with its order.
