HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana High Court on Monday lifted the ban on the playing of music beyond 10 pm in pubs, bars and other entertainment venues in Hyderabad city with the exception of those in the neighbourhood of Jubilee Hills.
The single judge had previously issued an order on September 12, stating that playing music beyond 10 pm in bars is a violation of the Noise (Pollution) Regulation Act and directed the police to take strict action against those violating the rule.
Upset with the order, the pub and bar owners in the city appealed against it. The Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy, dealt with the appeals and noted that the single judge decisions had gone beyond the request made to it and extended the ban on the playing of music to all pubs is invalid.
The single judge had dealt with a petition that alleged that several bars, restaurants, and pubs in Jubilee Hills, including 800 Jubilee, Farzi Café, Amnesia Lounge Bar, Hylife Brewing Company, Daily Dose Bar Hop, Dirty Martini Kitchen and Bar, Broadway the Brewery, Heart Coffee, and a few others, were contributing to noise pollution by playing loud music until early morning hours.
On Monday, the Division Bench noted that the single judge should have imposed restrictions on the pubs, bars and clubs located in Jubilee Hills that were causing a nuisance and against whom the petitioners filed cases. The Bench announced that it would turn the appeals into Public Interest Litigations (PILs) in order to hear them along with the petitions before the single judge. The case is adjourned for hearing to November 17.