13 May,2016 06:49 AM IST | | A Correspondent
The first three dance bars in Mumbai were issued provisional licences by the police yesterday, two days after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the state government for its failure to start issuing permits
The first three dance bars in Mumbai were issued provisional licences by the police yesterday, two days after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the state government for its failure to start issuing permits despite the court having lifted the ban on dance bars in October last year.
However, dance bar owners are not happy, as they have been given licence under the new law passed by the Maharashtra government, which prohibits serving alcohol in the performance area and also makes it mandatory to end the performances by 11.30 pm. Bar owners said they would oppose these stringent rules in the apex court on Friday.
One of the bar owners said, "If the dancing ends by 11.30 pm and cannot serve liquor in the area where the dancers perform, then no one will come. The bar owners are now hoping that the SC will strike down the stringent conditions in the new law of the state government."
Last minute rush
Yesterday, six bar owners were informed by the police that they would have to make a payment of Rs 2 lakh through Demand Draft the same day (earlier the charge was R1.8 lakh). However, only three of them could reach the police headquarters with the DD on time, and were then issued permits. These three bars are Indiana (Tardeo), Aero Punjab (Andheri) and Sai Prasad (Andheri). A senior police officer confirmed the development and said that police will check the bars within 60 days to see if they are complying with the conditions.
