One small step for Bombay....
The Dance Bar Ban has been overturned by the Bombay High Court on grounds of being unconstitutional. I know a lot of people who were very personally involved with the Bar Dancer's Association, and with the research they conducted and released that basically debunked all the myths that were being used to justify the ban. I've blogged about my frustration with the state'smoral policing, so obviously, I'm very very excited by the judgement. Congratulations to everyone who put in so much work into this case!
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HC strikes down govt ban on dance bars
By: PTI
April 12, 2006
Terming it as unconstitutional, the Bombay High Court today struck down a Maharashtra government ordinance which bans dance bars in the state.
The ordinance was quashed by Justice F I Rebello and Justice Roshan Dalvi who heard a bunch of petitions challenging the government's decision to ban dance bars.
However, the judges gave eight weeks time to the state government to file an appeal against the verdict.
The petitions challenging the ban were filed by bar owners, bar dancers, women's activists and NGOs. Dance bars were banned from August 15 last year by an amendment introduced by the state government in Mumbai Police Act.
The newly-introduced provision banned the holding of a dance performance of any kind in an eating house, permit room or beer bar, and prescribed three years jail and fine upto Rs 2 lakh for those found violating the rules.
The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) claimed in the court that the ban had affected about 2,500 establishments in the state and left around 75,000 bar dancers unemployed.
The state government justified the ban on the ground of immorality saying most of the dance bars had become pick-up joints for prostitution.
The state countered the argument of dance bar owners that the ban violated fundamental rights of bar dancers, saying the girls do not have a free choice of becoming bar dancers as most of them being lured to profession by middlemen with job promises.
However, AHAR and Bar Owners Association argued that the ban was discriminatory.
******************************************************
HC strikes down govt ban on dance bars
By: PTI
April 12, 2006
Terming it as unconstitutional, the Bombay High Court today struck down a Maharashtra government ordinance which bans dance bars in the state.
The ordinance was quashed by Justice F I Rebello and Justice Roshan Dalvi who heard a bunch of petitions challenging the government's decision to ban dance bars.
However, the judges gave eight weeks time to the state government to file an appeal against the verdict.
The petitions challenging the ban were filed by bar owners, bar dancers, women's activists and NGOs. Dance bars were banned from August 15 last year by an amendment introduced by the state government in Mumbai Police Act.
The newly-introduced provision banned the holding of a dance performance of any kind in an eating house, permit room or beer bar, and prescribed three years jail and fine upto Rs 2 lakh for those found violating the rules.
The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) claimed in the court that the ban had affected about 2,500 establishments in the state and left around 75,000 bar dancers unemployed.
The state government justified the ban on the ground of immorality saying most of the dance bars had become pick-up joints for prostitution.
The state countered the argument of dance bar owners that the ban violated fundamental rights of bar dancers, saying the girls do not have a free choice of becoming bar dancers as most of them being lured to profession by middlemen with job promises.
However, AHAR and Bar Owners Association argued that the ban was discriminatory.
posted by Auri @ 9:22 PM
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