Bill proposing to plug licensing loopholes misused by dance bars introduced in Maharashtra assembly

Mumbai, July 7 (PTI) The Maharashtra government on Tuesday introduced a bill to bring live music performances in hotels and bar rooms under the ambit of the dance bar law, seeking to plug licensing loopholes that allowed illegal dance bars to use orchestra permits under the Maharashtra Police Act. The Maharashtra Police and Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced in the assembly by the MoS for Home, Pankaj Bhoyar. According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, section 33 of the Maharashtra Police Act currently empowers police authorities to grant licences for musical, dancing and other performances for public amusement. Licences for orchestra and live music performances in hotels, restaurants and bar rooms are also issued under the Public Amusement Rules framed under this Act. According to the government, some establishments were using licences for live music performances as an alternative to licences required under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (Working Therein) Act, 2016, to evade restrictions imposed on dance performances in hotels, restaurants and bar rooms. To plug this loophole, the bill proposes to bring live music performances (orchestra) within the purview of the 2016 Act while excluding licences for such performances from the ambit of the Maharashtra Police Act. It introduces "live music performance (orchestra)" within the purview of the Prohibition of Obscene Dance Act and excludes licenses of live music performance in hotels, restaurants and bars from the purview of the Police Act. The government said the amendments are intended to prevent misuse of orchestra licences and ensure that live music performances in hotels, restaurants and bar rooms are regulated under the same legal framework as dance performances. PTI MR NSK