HC allows women to work in bars

Bangalore, Sep 24 (UNI) In a significant judgement, Karnataka High Court today allowed women to be employed as hostesses in bars and restaurants.

The court passed orders to this effect on a batch of petitions which contended that Rule nine of the Excise Rules and Section 20 (2) of the Karnataka Excise Act as violative of the Constitution.

Justice D V Shylendra Kumar, rejecting the Public Prosecutor's contention that children and women had to be protected in such places, said Rule nine of the Act was ultra vires and unenforceable and Sub Section two of Section 20 of the Act unconstitutional as it violated Article 14, 15, 16, 21 and 39 of the Constitution.

The petitioners led by C Ramesh submitted that as the government issued licences to run a bar or a restaurant, it was their desire to employ women as hostesses. This was intended to provide better facilities to customers in line with international standards, he stated.

A batch of women, who had lost their jobs after police closed down dance bars, also challenged these provisions. The City Police had recently shut down dance bars invoking the provisions of the Excise Act.

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