New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday sought the reply of Maharasthra government on a petition filed by Bharatiya Bargirls Union challenging the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) Act, 2016 and the rules.
A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Rohinton Nariman issued notice after hearing senior counsel Rajiv Dhavan and posted the matter along with similar petitions being heard by the same Bench.
The petitioner union said it comprises women dancers, waitresses, singers and other performers (colloquially labelled as ‘bargirls’ in a derogatory sense) working in bar rooms, hotels, beer bars and such other establishments based in Maharashtra.
It said the object of the law was to prevent obscenity in dance bars which are derogatory to dignity of women.
It submitted that the dances enacted in a dance bar are often choreographed to imitate performances of mainstream music, especially the Bollywood. As a matter of fact, performance of such kind is a commonplace during weddings and other ceremonies.
Thus, the state government’s contention that only dance bars encourage obscenity or have adverse impact on moral health of customers is entirely untenable. It sought quashing of the law and an interim stay of its operation. The court directed the matter to be listed on April 20.
