The rules will be approve by the Cabinet and subsequently in the upcoming state assembly session
After the Opposition laid into the state government over its failure to preserve the dance bar ban, the BJP-led regime has decided to bring in deterrents in the form of stringent rules binding establishments. The rules will be approve by the Cabinet and subsequently in the upcoming state assembly session.
According to a senior Home department official, the Supreme Court judgment on dance bar has upheld most provisions of existing state laws concerning the bars. "The court objected to only a few rules, which will be modified. We are sure that no dance bar owners will fulfil the criteria set to reopen dance bars in Mumbai and its peripheral areas," said the official.
He said the administration had received several applications earlier, but only three made it through the final scrutiny. "This proved that the bar owners found it increasingly difficult to follow rules. Thus they approached the apex court," the official said.
Ranjeet Patil, Minister of State for Home, said: "If something is required under court rules, it will be done in accordance with law. The apex court judgment is not against the state government at all," claimed Patil.
The official said the court objected to showering the dancers with money. "Instead, it permitted tips. The court has asked to define a 'good bar owner' to whom licences can be issued," the official said. "We will now define this term after consulting concerned departments." He adding that a parameter could be lack of criminal cases against the bar owner.
Another official said the court demanded clarity over the contract between the employer and dancer. "It is mandatory for employers to submit contract agreements to the state Labour department. We had asked for fixing of monthly salaries for bar girls to curb exploitation. The court said that it cannot fix the salary as the dancer can work for a day, a few hours or on specific events. Thus it is imperative that the employer-employee decide the sum," added the official.
The State feels the three-year imprisonment term for violations will be a major concern. "They can bear the monetary penalty easily, but jail sentence is a huge deterrent. That's why the bar owners are approaching courts so often," said the official.
NOT MUSIC TO EARS
- SC has asked for the term ‘good bar owners’ to be defined. A Home dept official said this will include lack of criminal cases and other criteria
- Dance bar owners and dancers also have to fix work hours, days and timings to determine monthly salaries to curb exploitation
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