Supreme Court clears decks for dance bars in Mumbai; RR Patil says govt to reappeal against decision

The Supreme Court has thrown out the 2006 Maharashtra state government decision to ban dance bars. It has asked  for the  ban to be lifted and dance bars to be reopened.

In 2005, the Democratic Front government had decided to ban dance bars after home minister RR Patil took a lead in cracking down on both the establishments and bar girls saying they were "corrupting the youth in the state and destroying families."

The dance bars' association had gone to the Bombay High Court against the decision and the court had ruled in their favour. The state struck back by amending the Bombay Police Act to ensure that dance bars did not open.

This effectively meant that thousands of bar girls and other staff in the bars were left jobless since 2006.

The state government's appeal to the Supreme Court against the high court order was thrown out by the apex court.

The dance bar owners' association has all along maintained that the government has no right to snatch anybody's 'right to livelihood'.

The SC where the state government had filed a petition in appeal against the HC decision had stayed the HC decision in favour of dance bars, pending hearing.

Now, after hearing all parties concerned, the SC the Bombay HC's decision to allow dance bars to reopen.

An embarrassed state government is, meanwhile,  looking for face savers out of this situation.

Home Minister RR Patil who came under considerable criticism for the lax surveillance when 26/11 happened "as being to busy chasing dance bar girls" has said the state government will reappeal against the SC decision.

Report courtesy Zee 24 Taas