The Bombay high court has asked the Womanist Organisation of India (WoI) and the Bhartiya Bar Girls' Union (BBGU) to produce documentary proof of gender equality to support a petition filed by them, seeking a change in the Shops and Establishment Act, 1948.
The Act forbids women from working in establishments like restaurants and bars after 9.30pm, a provision that affects the livelihood of women working in bars as waitresses or singers (not bar dancers).
The police had supported the 9.30pm deadline for women, arguing that bar owners did not take adequate measures to ensure women employees’ safety. In an affidavit, Pandit Kale, senior inspector of police, hotel branch, said, "I say that several lady services bars are mushrooming in the city, endangering the public morality and culture."
"We are looking up various studies carried out by reputed institutions which show that men and women are equal," said Vishal Thadani, advocate for WoI and BBGU.
In a hearing, last week, justices DK Deshmukh and RG Ketkar questioned the need for women’s security if they were equal to the opposite sex, and sought documents pertaining to the equality of men and women.
Can anyone provide documentary proof of gender equality? Do you think the court is right in asking for such evidence?
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