Varun Marwah & Anuj Agrawal .A recent notification by the Union Territory of Chandigarh has garnered significant media attention. Some of which is completely unwarranted..Taking effect from April 1 this year, the “Controlling of Places of Public Amusement, 2016” (Policy) lists down the rules and regulations concerning ‘Places of Public Amusement’ such as discotheques, bowling alleys, game parlours, and the like..The policy was apparently put into place on the directions of the Punjab & Haryana High Court..And although there have been reports that this policy places an embargo on skirts, there is no provision to that effect. This has now been clarified by the Home Secretary Anurag Agarwal..Listed below, are a few salient points of the policy..The Policy covers discos, bars, bowling alleys, and other places of “public amusement” but excludes cinemasThe Policy provides for the establishment of the following two Committees:A Nodal Committee primarily responsible for issuance of permission certificates for ‘places of public amusement’Monitoring Committee primarily responsible for monitoring the operation of these placesThese Committees have been entrusted with wide powers includingfree access or reservation of two seats,right to stop operations in case ‘breach of peace‘right to stop any performance which will ‘lower the moral standards‘ of those who see it.It is open-ended provisions like these which vest immense power with the Committees to decide what constitutes ‘moral’ and ‘peaceful’.The Nodal office has also been given the power to refuse grant of license in case certain conditions are not fulfilled by the organisers.This is where the controversial provision rests; the provision itself says that the license may be refused in case there is:.Any exhibition or advertisement whether by way of posters or in the newspapers, photographs of scantily dressed women.What is ‘scantily dressed’ is a question of fact; nowhere does the Policy say that girls will not be allowed to enter with short skirts.The Policy additionally imposes certain responsibilities on the organisers which inter alia requires them to ensure that.Alcohol is not served to individuals below the age of 25,Deployment of male and female bouncers,Demarcation of ‘drinking areas’Taking copies of the photo ID’s of all their customers..Another provision which may face some opposition from the locals is the lowering of closing time to midnight from 2:00 AM. The Policy also gives organisers the right to be reasonably heard, and further appeal against the order of the Nodal Office..You can read the entire Policy here:.(Image: Source)
Varun Marwah & Anuj Agrawal .A recent notification by the Union Territory of Chandigarh has garnered significant media attention. Some of which is completely unwarranted..Taking effect from April 1 this year, the “Controlling of Places of Public Amusement, 2016” (Policy) lists down the rules and regulations concerning ‘Places of Public Amusement’ such as discotheques, bowling alleys, game parlours, and the like..The policy was apparently put into place on the directions of the Punjab & Haryana High Court..And although there have been reports that this policy places an embargo on skirts, there is no provision to that effect. This has now been clarified by the Home Secretary Anurag Agarwal..Listed below, are a few salient points of the policy..The Policy covers discos, bars, bowling alleys, and other places of “public amusement” but excludes cinemasThe Policy provides for the establishment of the following two Committees:A Nodal Committee primarily responsible for issuance of permission certificates for ‘places of public amusement’Monitoring Committee primarily responsible for monitoring the operation of these placesThese Committees have been entrusted with wide powers includingfree access or reservation of two seats,right to stop operations in case ‘breach of peace‘right to stop any performance which will ‘lower the moral standards‘ of those who see it.It is open-ended provisions like these which vest immense power with the Committees to decide what constitutes ‘moral’ and ‘peaceful’.The Nodal office has also been given the power to refuse grant of license in case certain conditions are not fulfilled by the organisers.This is where the controversial provision rests; the provision itself says that the license may be refused in case there is:.Any exhibition or advertisement whether by way of posters or in the newspapers, photographs of scantily dressed women.What is ‘scantily dressed’ is a question of fact; nowhere does the Policy say that girls will not be allowed to enter with short skirts.The Policy additionally imposes certain responsibilities on the organisers which inter alia requires them to ensure that.Alcohol is not served to individuals below the age of 25,Deployment of male and female bouncers,Demarcation of ‘drinking areas’Taking copies of the photo ID’s of all their customers..Another provision which may face some opposition from the locals is the lowering of closing time to midnight from 2:00 AM. The Policy also gives organisers the right to be reasonably heard, and further appeal against the order of the Nodal Office..You can read the entire Policy here:.(Image: Source)
