BENGALURU: Upping the ante against erring pubs and discotheques in the city, the police department has sent a cancellation order to 107 of them in the city.
A release from the police commissioner’s office said pubs have been running live music and discos in spite of license rejection under the Licensing of places of Public Entertainment Order 2005. “A total of 107 pubs and discotheques have been served with the cancellation order,” the release stated.
The police release clarified that the pubs can however serve food, but without live music or discotheques. This comes as a huge disappointment for pub-goers, many of whom said that this was like a ‘cremation’ for ‘Live Music Capital of India’ — Namma Bengaluru.
“Music sub-culture in Bengaluru is functioning in every corner, but the police has been heavily cracking down on all kinds of live performances. They have even issued notices to various pubs, bars, restaurants and even other commercial establishments saying they have to obtain license before playing music. This is very upsetting,” said Riansh Kapoor, a regular pub-goer.
Meanwhile, several pub owners are upset with the move. They claim there is still ambiguity over the implementation of Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment Order, 2005, which makes police permission mandatory for playing even recorded music.
The notices were sent to them after the Supreme Court upheld the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order, 2005, in January this year. The crackdown will continue and if any pubs are found faulty and not adhering to the rulebook, they will be issued with cancellation order, police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said.