11 July,2011 06:25 AM IST | | Imran Gowhar
Files petition against cops for violating Supreme Court directive that gives women the right of employment in bar, restaurants that serve liquor
Unable to bear the redundant crackdown by the city police against dance bars, a live band artist has filed a petition challenging the cops for their action. In her petition, Kajal said that despite High court setting aside the Karnataka Excise Act, the city police are hell bent on restricting women employees from working in bars and restaurants serving liquor, which violates the Supreme Court directive that women have right of employment in bar and restaurants where liquor is served.
Barred: Bar owner allege that the city police restricting women from
working in bars and restaurants.
Acting on the petition, Justice Mohan Shantan Gowdar issued notices to state government seeking a reply. The matter is expected to come before the court tomorrow. Elaborating on Kajal's petition, her counsel, Uday Holla, said that the Supreme Court had set aside the Punjab Excise rules restricting women being employed in bars. The SC, while giving a judgment, said that restricting women from working in a bar is gender discrimination.
"Even the Karnataka HC has followed the SC directive citing it as a violation of fundamental rights," Holla said. Basically we have questioned the oral orders of the city police chief based on which women employees are being restricted to work in bars, he added.
Bar girls react
Kiran (25), claims that her family is quite happy with the decision. "Hopefully this time the government will consider our pleas seriously, as our family lives are destroyed because of this," she said.
Sanjay Kochar, president, Bars Association, said that they had not been allowed to operate for over a month and the police were restricting women employees to enter the bar without a valid reason. "The police have taken this step without giving us prior notice, this is violation of the SC directive. Now we have no option but to wait and watch since hundreds of women have been rendered jobless with this move," he maintained.
