Maharashtra Assembly passes Bill to put a complete ban on dance bars across the State

The Maharashtra Assembly has approved the Bill to amend the Dance Bar Prohibition Act. The Act has been amended to remove a legal lacuna that led Supreme Court to strike down the State government’s 2005 order to ban dance bars. The move comes as a blow to thousands of bar girls and others associated with such establishments who are hoping to regain their livelihood following the Supreme Court order.

Following the amendment, dance performances in three-star and five-star hotels will also be prohibited. The Supreme Court had earlier questioned the Maharashtra government’s decision to ban dance performances in smaller bars, while such performances continued in 3-star and 5-star hotels.