Chandigarh babus can shut discos that allow girls in mini-skirts

Chandigarh Administration’s new policy can land discotheque owners in trouble if they allow girls in mini-skirts.

Recently, Chandigarh Administration introduced a new policy titled ‘Controlling of Places of Public Amusement, 2016’ which lays down certain rules for city’s bars and discotheques. The policy, which came into effect on April 1, started by curbing the bar timings by 2 hours from 2 AM to 12 AM.

But the city’s discotheque owners aren’t losing sleep over the fewer working hours, it’s the loosely termed rules that have given babus unlimited power over their business and livelihood.

According to the new rules, the government can shut a place for ‘exhibition or advertisement of scantily dressed women’, ‘indecency’ or if it is ‘seditious and likely to excite political discontent’. What’s more, the policy draft doesn’t define ‘scantily dressed women’, ‘indecency’ or what constitutes for ‘sedition’.

Any business found violating the policy can be shut down or refused renewal of permission for business operation.

The city’s discotheque owners have termed the policy as vague, absurd and nothing more than ‘legal moral policing’. Even noted Chandigarh lawyers like Anupam Gupta have termed it as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘flawed’. But, the government is unwilling to budge.