HC dismisses Gurugram MG Road club owners’ petition against police action

The Gurugram police had earlier withdrawn the no-objection certificates issued to 10 of the 15 nightclubs on MG Road to ensure that law and order, after residents complained of sex trade on the stretch.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday dismissed a petition challenging police action against pubs and bars on Gurugram’s MG Road.

The Punjab and Haryana HC also allowed the Gurugram police to conduct random inspection of clubs to maintain law and order and ensure no illegal activity is taking place on the mall mile. (HT File)

The court also allowed the Gurugram police to conduct random inspection of clubs to maintain law and order and ensure no illegal activity is taking place on the mall mile.

The court also directed the formation of a three-member committee, comprising the deputy commissioner of city administration, commissioner of police and an excise official, to prepare guidelines for clubs on the MG Road, to ensure that people can freely visit these malls without any harassment. With the new development, the police can resume inspection of the clubs and bars.

The police had earlier withdrawn the no-objection certificates issued to 10 of the 15 nightclubs on MG Road to ensure that law and order, after residents complained of sex trade on the stretch.

“We will prepare the guidelines within the next two weeks and submit it to the court. We have called a meeting of the station house officers and excise officials concerned on Friday to prepare a plan,” said police commissioner KK Rao. He further said that the police would take action if any complaint is received from the residents.

On December 3, the court had also directed the police to submit suggestions by December 20 to ensure that no illegal activity takes place on the mall mile.

The court on July 31 had barred the police from taking any coercive action, after some club owners had approached the high court against the revocation of 10 NOCS, mandatory for running the clubs, and the repeated raids by the police.

Vijaypal Yadav, the president of the MG Road bar owners’ association, said they feared that they would be unnecessarily targeted by the police.

Yadav said clubs have given their suggestions to the court, highlighting that police should take care of law and order on streets and not interfere in the operations of clubs. “Visitors should not be forced to give a photocopy (of an ID) at the entry point. An electronic copy should be sufficient. As per the law, clubs can only check the age of visitors,” said Yadav.

Rao said they would also ask club owners to submit CCTV footage once a week to the police station concerned, for monitoring purposes.

Residents of MG Road had demanded cancellation of excise licences of clubs on MG Road, in order to curb illegal activities and flesh trade. Residents had alleged that they “cannot move around in the evening without the fear of getting harassed by drunk men or running into sex workers.”

On Thursday, residents said the police should increase night patrolling and take action against the menace before it resurfaces and becomes a regular activity again.