The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Reopening of live band joints likely to be delayed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 10, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Reopening of live band joints likely to be delayed

Staff Reporter

New order passed by Police Commissioner notified

BANGALORE: The reopening of live band joints in the city may be further delayed as the State Government on Friday notified the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment Order, 2005, passed by the Bangalore Police Commissioner.

According to the new order, obtaining licence from the commissioner, who is the licensing authority, is mandatory for running live band shows. With the new order, framed in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling, coming into effect from Friday, one should obtain a licence from the commissioner for running live band shows.

The commissioner has set as many as 13 terms and conditions for granting licence. The licence holder should conduct the shows only between 10 a.m. and 11.30 p.m.; ensure the safety of women staff/performers and provide transportation to them from their houses to the place of work; the stage and the seating area at licensed places should be clearly demarcated; there shall be a distance of at least five feet between the stage and first row of the seating area, there shall be no mixing of performers with customers/guests on or off the stage.

The licensed entertainment centre shall not promote gambling, gaming activities, prostitution, allow the use of narcotic substances and shall not organise shows that are immoral, obscene or indecent.

The licence holder should ensure that there is no obscenity or indecency in the dress, movement or gesture of the performers, the order says. The Live Band Restaurant Owners' Association had questioned in the High Court the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment Order passed by the commissioner on May 24, 2005.

The High Court on September 9, 2005 quashed the commissioner's order and observed that the said order be treated as a draft and fresh order be passed after inviting objections, if any from the petitioners and public.

The court had directed that written objections should be submitted to the commissioner within 30 days. The commissioner, after examining the objections he had received, has come out with the modified order.

The Licensing Authority will accept applications for granting licences for live band/cabaret/discothèque in accordance with new order, according to a release.

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