The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar while hearing a batch of petitions in connection to the issue of establishments in the city playing recorded or live music in the premises.
The High Court has asked the Commissioner to explain the decision to ask pubs and restaurants in the city to produce occupancy certificates among several other documents in order to play recorded or live music in their establishments.
The petition challenging the Commissioner’s order was filed by Lovers Night Pub and others, challenging the legality of the notice issued by the city police to pub and restaurant owners in the city.
The notices were sent to them by the Commissioner after the Supreme Court upheld the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order, 2005, in January.
The 13-year-old order laid down rules asking owners of pubs in the city to furnish seven documents in the license application. Establishments in the city began receiving letters from March and several owners have sought time from the Commissioner to comply with the order.
They say that they are facing issues with two documents – the occupancy certificate and a No-Objection Certificate from the Fire Department.
The Commissioner, however, is insisting that owners have an occupancy certificate of the buildings they operate in and all the other necessary documents, including a No-Objection Certificate from the Fire Department.
In letters addressed to pub owners across the city, the Commissioner stated, “It is mandatory to obtain license to run the place of public entertainment as required under Clause 3 of the Order in 2005.” He further stated, “You are hereby instructed to submit applications for grant of license to run the place of public entertainment as required under clause 3 of the order within 15 days of receiving this notice.”
While Commissioner T Suneel Kumar says the police are ‘flexible’ with the deadline in case pubs request for time to get documents in order.
(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)
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