In Brief
The Supreme Court struck down several provisions of Maharashtra's 2016 law regulating dance performances in bars and restaurants. While upholding the restriction on genuinely obscene dances and licensing requirements, the Court found that certain licence conditions—the 1 km distance from schools/temples, mandatory monthly salary employment, prohibition on alcohol service, and CCTV surveillance—were unreasonable and violated fundamental rights. The Court also struck down Section 6(4) barring discotheques from dance venues, holding it arbitrary. The judgment emphasised that though the Act claims regulatory intent, its conditions make licensing virtually impossible, achieving a de facto prohibition that violates Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(g), and 21.
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