State to impose restrictions on dance bars, says minister

State’s revenue and excise minister Eknath Khadse said the government was of the opinion that the dance bars should not be allowed to reopen as the society has witnessed their “ill-effects” in the past.

A day after the Supreme Court stayed the law banning dance bars in Maharashtra, the state government on Friday said it will impose several restrictions on dance bars by amending other existing laws.

The Supreme Court has lifted the ban on dance bars in Maharashtra on Thursday. (File photo)

State’s revenue and excise minister Eknath Khadse said the government was of the opinion that the dance bars should not be allowed to reopen as the society has witnessed their “ill-effects” in the past.

“We are yet to receive the final order of the Apex Court. Further course of action will be decided after we study the verdict,” said Khadse, adding that the dance bars will mostly be regulated by the laws enforced by his department.

“The state government has powers to amend other laws. We can think of raising the taxes and levies on performances and services at dance bars and also restrict operation timings. The government can restrict the working hours of the bars till 7pm, thus scaling down the effect,” he said.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, had said on Thursday his government will think of removing loopholes, if any, in the existing law for the ban to continue.

The Supreme Court had stayed the law introduced by the government in 2014 that banned dance bars, but had also insisted that no obscenity should be allowed in the dance bars.

The state government, in its affidavit submitted in the Supreme Court, has asserted on the ill-effects of dance bars by citing the previous examples.