The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the operation of 2014 amendment in the Maharashtra Police Act that had banned dance performances at bars and some other places, paving the way for reopening of dance bars across the state.
Referring to the brief history of judicial pronouncement in the case and subsequent amendment in the state law, a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla Chandra Pant said "We think it appropriate to stay the provisions section 33 (A)(1) of the Maharashtra Police (second amendment) Act." The court however added a rider to its interim order and allowed the licensing authorities in the state to regulate indecent dance performances at bars and other places.
"However, we have a rider that no performance of dance will be remotely expressive of any kind of obscenity...the licensing authority can regulate such dance performances so that individual dignity of woman performer is not harmed," the bench said. The apex court has now fixed the petition filed by Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association for final hearing on November 5 and said that the matter pertaining to the similar issue had already been decided by this court in 2013.
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Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra said at the outset that interim relief may be granted to the Association and added that 2014 amendment in the Act is distinct by its nature.
Reacting to the development, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis said that they will regulate in accordance with SC order so that there is no obscenity in the dance bars. But he made it clear that the like the past government , they are also looking for a complete ban. He said,
With agency inputs
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