The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Live band units should have emergency exits'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 18, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Live band units should have emergency exits'

Staff Reporter

HIGH COURTROUND-UP Criminals make use of such units, say police

BANGALORE: The Bangalore City Police on Tuesday informed the Karnataka High Court that live band units should have emergency exits so that stampedes such as those at the Uphaar cinema in Delhi could be prevented. Criminals make use of such units to plan offences, they said.

In its affidavit, the police said the emergency exit would be used only in case of emergencies. Clause 8 (2) and 3 of the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) order dealt with safety measures to be adopted by establishments, it said.

The police said there are specific rules governing such establishments located on the first or higher floors. The rules say that such establishments should have two staircases in addition to open spaces as provided for in the building bylaws.

The affidavit was filed after the Karnataka Live Band restaurants Association challenged the December 9, 2005, notification of the authorities specifying certain conditions to be met before live bands are issued licences to operate and urged the court to quash it.

The affidavit said a committee has been set up under the chairmanship of a former Commissioner of Police, R. Ramalingam, to examine and advice the police on the steps to be taken to streamline its administration and curb illegal activities. The committee had felt that rules could be framed governing the operation of live bands. It said there is a need to regulate places of public entertainment so as to prevent crime, maintain law and order and minimise the impact such places have on the public. The order was passed as there was stiff public opposition to the mushrooming of such establishments. The matter has been debated in the Legislative Assembly too.

The order was promulgated and gazetted on May 25, 2005 and this was challenged in the High Court.

A single judge quashed the order and asked it to be treated as a draft.

The police were asked to invite objections to the order from the public and the live band units and dispose off within 30 days the applications for licence by the live bands. The live bands had challenged this order, but a Division Bench upheld it.

The order had been treated as draft rule and objections invited. It debunked the association contention that almost all bars and restaurants in Bangalore are running live bands. It said live bands are being used by criminals to take shelter after they commit offences.

Justice Ajit Gunjal adjourned further hearing on the case to January 20.

Life imprisonment

A Division Bench comprising Justice S.R. Bannurmath and Justice N. Ananda on Tuesday confirmed a lower court order sentencing two persons to life imprisonment. Muralidhara was married to Pushpa Kumari on December 5, 1996.

She was allegedly being harassed for dowry by her husband and Lalithamma. On December 1, 1997, both Muralidhara and Lalithamma poured kerosene on Kumari and allegedly set her on fire.

Granted anticipatory bail

Justice V. Jagannathan on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to four persons accused of assaulting an employee of a private power company in Mangalore.The accused — Lakshman Shetty, Harishchandra Shetty, Jayant and Vasanth Kumar Bhat — were opposing setting up of a power plant by a private company. Affidavit sought

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice, Cyriach Joseph, and Justice B. Padmaraj directed the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to file an affidavit by Friday on the number of chief engineers, dates of their appointment and retirement and the powers of the Commissioner and Additional Commissioner.

The Bench was hearing a public interest litigation petition against re-appointment of Rame Gowda after he retired as Engineer-in-Chief of BMP.

The petitioner had sought issue of a writ of quo warranto against Mr. Gowda.

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