Supreme Court raps the state government for not granting licenses to dance bars
The Supreme Court yesterday rapped the state government for not granting licenses to dance bars on account of non-compliance of some conditions and said it is better for women to perform then beg on streets or do something “unacceptable” to earn livelihood.
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A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh dealt with certain pre-conditions for grant of licenses to dance bars and said, “Conditions subsequent cannot be equated with condition precedents.”
“It is better to perform in the dance bars then beg on the street or do some unacceptable things for livelihood,” it said, adding that the state has to protect the women’s dignity at the work place.
“What is this? Why have you not complied with our order. What certificates you (Maharashtra) want? I had told you last time that you must maintain constitutional norms,” it said.
The bench, however, acknowledged the plea of Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Maharashtra, that state has to ensure that there is no “obscenity” in dance bars and the dignity of women is protected there.Dealing with contentious conditions, it asked both dance bar owners and the police to comply with mutually agreed terms, which were part of earlier court orders. It asked all dance bars to get criminal antecedents of their employees checked by local police, besides installing CCTV cameras at all entry points of dance bars.