Bengaluru pubs back to 11.30 pm deadline, government fails to pass order

Bengaluru: Friday was a disappointing start to the weekend for most Bengalureans, who were looking forward to a late evening with friends over drinks in pubs and bars. For shocked pub owners, it was back to taking the last orders at 11pm on Friday evening, when they were told by Excise officers that they should shut shop at 11.30 pm because the government had not issued the notification to extend the nightlife beyond its three-month deadline, which ended this week.

The meeting headed by Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee was held around 6 pm in which it was announced that the government had agreed to extend the nightlife to 1 am till June 30, 2015. But the notification was not issued with the result that the Excise Commissioner directed the deputy commissioners to inform the licencees to close business by 11.30 pm.

“We were told by Deputy Commissioner, Excise (East) Somashekhar that we should close down by 11.30 pm because the government notification on extension of nightlife had not been issued. We will cut a sorry figure before our guests tonight,” said Mr Ashish Kothare, president of the Association of Bars & Restaurant, Pub & Hotels, Bengaluru. “The best part of evening will be spent in trying to make people understand that it is not our call,” he added.

The government had issued a trial notice to relax the 11.30 pm deadline till 1 am for eateries on all seven days a week, and pubs, bars and clubs on Friday and Saturday for three months on March 4 this year. The deadline of the notification expired on June 3.

“The Excise Department is not empowered to issue the notification. It is the government’s prerogative and the Department only implements it. We hope the notification is issued by Saturday,” said an officer on condition of anonymity.