In yet another effort at formalising government control over high-profile clubs, the legislature committee, which looked into their functioning, has recommended bringing in a legislation to regulate them and provide membership to legislators and MPs in two clubs in their jurisdiction, if the clubs have utlised either land or any other facility from the government.
The seven-member legislature committee, led by Congress MLA N.A. Haris, tabled its report in the Assembly on Tuesday.
It has suggested adoption of a bill titled ‘The Karnataka Regulation of Entry to Public Places and Regulation of Clubs Bill’ to regulate their functioning.
It says that MLAs and MPs should get membership in two clubs of their choice in their constituency, while the Rajya Sabha members and MLCs should get membership in two clubs in the area where they have enrolled themselves as voters.
The committee had been constituted in November 2012, after the members of the Assembly demanded the constitution of such a committee, to look into the functioning of the clubs after a detailed discussion in the House.
The discussion was triggered by the government’s reply to a query during question hour by Congress MLA A. Manju, who is presently a Minister, on the facilities taken from the government by various clubs and why they cannot give membership to legislators.
The committee , which inspected several prominent clubs in Bengaluru and Mysuru, has also recommended that sportspersons with meritorious contribution at the national level, ex-servicemen who won gallantry awards, and senior civil servants should get membership in clubs.
Entry cannot be barred to those with traditional dress
If the legislature committee, which looked into the functioning of clubs has its way, none of the clubs can deny entry to those wearing Indian or ethnic dress, such as dhoti . The committee has recommended adoption of a legislation to prevent clubs from denying entry to those wearing traditional wear.
The dress code imposed by high-profile clubs has been a cause of concern and it may be noted that Prof. G. Mohan Gopal, the then director of National Law School of India University (NLSIU), was denied entry into Bangalore Club for wearing a dhoti .
Also, the clubs cannot charge exhorbitant rates as membership fee as the government would prescribe norms for fixing membership fee in tune with the services offered by them.
