Supreme Court puts on hold dance bar ban

The apex court, however, said the dignity of women should be protected and the state police has to ensure it.

After the court ruling, Maharashtra  Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his government "stood by the law passed by the earlier (Congress) government". 

Later, he tweeted: "Although SC interim order mandates regulation instead of ban on dance bars,Govt still favours ban.We will examine & press our demand in SC."

A new  law banning dance bars was passed unanimously in June 2014, after the Supreme Court  had quashed an earlier law banning dance performances in bars the year before.

Challenging the law, restaurant owners had  argued that  the state was thwarting the intention of the court.

In Maharashtra, about 700 establishments used to organise Bollywood-style dance by employing more than 75,000 women.

The state police had cracked down on dance performances in bars for the first time in 2005. Then the state government brought in a law banning dance routines in all establishments.

The dancers' union had opposed the ban, saying many of its members would be forced into prostitution if the state refused to allow dance performances.