With the Bangalore police re-enforcing the 11:30 pm deadline, ‘the licensing and controlling of places of public entertainment (Bangalore City) order, 2005,’ and the state excise laws to prevent women from dancing in places that serve liquor, the city’s nightlife has received a major setback. The enforcement of the existing laws by the police has pit owners of dance bars (known as live band joints) against the owners of nightclubs and discotheques and has also resulted in public campaigns to allow dancing in discotheques and nightclubs.

Protesting against the move to prevent women from dancing at places that serve liquor, the dance bar association has threatened to introduce eunuchs in its bars. The association president has said they will not allow the police to permit dancing at selective discotheques and nightclubs. Local radio stations and media have also begun a campaign against the ‘regressive’ step.

Now, in an effort to ease the situation, the Government has decided to extend the deadline from 11:30 pm to 1 am and ask the state Excise Department to consider modifying laws that prevent women from dancing at such places.

The introduction of the licensing rules for cabarets, dance bars, discotheques and live bands in June 2005 — intended to curb the unregulated growth of dance bars — had resulted in a clampdown on all forms of dancing at public entertainment spots in Bangalore. However, in December 2005, following appeals by the owners of establishments, the Supreme Court had permitted live bands and dancing in restaurants and hotels on a condition that the establishments will not encourage prostitution or indecent shows. While the police allowed dancing and live music shows at pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and discotheques, they imposed a more stringent curb on dance bars on the grounds that they tend to encourage prostitution. Following the exit of an elected government in Karnataka, there have been reports of dance bars coming up at several places around the city. “We have received strict instructions to prevent such establishments from violating laws, including the 11:30 pm deadline,” said a senior police officer. The police claim to have come down heavily only on illegal dance bars.