Bhubaneswar: The state excise Commissioner, Monday, gave green signal to employ women dancers in seven dance bars of the city. Following a prolonged legal battle, the dance bar owners in the city succeeded in getting the official permission to employ women dancers in their premises.
In a letter written to Khurda Collector, the Excise Commissioner permitted seven bars in the city to employ dancing girls in the first phase under the conditions laid down in the sub-section 5 of the section 44 of Odisha Excise Rules, 2017.
The Excise Commissioner granted permission to Rain D’club, Green Field, Swagat International and Deepali bar. The government reportedly permitted the above dance bars to employ 11 girls for the orchestra programme.
As per the rules, the bar owners cannot employ young women below 21 years. Each of them will have to produce voter identity card, Aadhaar card, photos and other details to the bars. The performers cannot wear scanty and provocative clothes while performing in the bars. The audience cannot throw money at the dancers. Money awards are to be given to the manager of the dancer concerned.
The bar owners have to install CCTV cameras at the spot where music and dance performances will take place. The licensee has to display the license prominently on the walls at the spot.
The license of the bars found violating the rules will be cancelled and asked to pay hefty fines too.
Earlier, the Orissa High Court had directed the state to consider the demand of the owners of the bars and restaurants seeking permission to employ women with prior permission of the Excise Board in the state.
The court asked the Excise Board that it could give permission to institutions under Sub-Sections 2 and 4 of section 25 of the Bihar and Odisha Excise Act, 1915.
