Supreme Court asks Maharashtra govt to grant licenses to dance bars by March 15

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to grant licenses to dance bars by March 15. It also ruled that no CCTV will be installed around performance areas in dance bars.

The apex court also modified seven conditions imposed by the Maharashtra Police for granting licenses to dance bars in the state. "There were about seven conditions for which the bar owners had strong objections. Two of the main conditions were, with regard to installation of CCTV cameras in the restaurant area and second was erection of railing or non removal partition," said Chief Standing Counsel of the Maharashtra Government, Advocate Nishant Katneshwarkar

"The court has permitted their condition that there should be a railing of three feet in the dancing area and there should be distance of five feet between the dancers and the viewers," Katneshwarkar added.

The Advocate said that the court has directed that the CCTV camera should be installed at the entrance of the bar only and not in the dancing area. "Only four dancers are permitted in a Bar. Out intention is to prevent obscenity. And protect the dignity of the dance girls," he added.