In a significant move, the Maharashtra government has proposed a new Bill to enforce stricter regulations on nightlife and commercial establishments. The Bill aims to address legal loopholes that hotels, restaurants, and bar rooms have been using to circumvent dance restrictions. The proposed legislation, titled the “Maharashtra Police and Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) (Amendment) Act, 2026,” specifically targets the exploitation of the “Orchestra” loophole in bar rooms.
Several establishments have allegedly been taking advantage of discrepancies in licensing regulations to avoid complying with the stringent restrictions imposed by the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance Act, 2016. By leveraging live music and “orchestra” performances, which are licensed under less stringent provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, these establishments have been providing a platform for unregulated dance performances.
The Bill aims to address this issue by bringing live music performances (orchestra) under the purview of the Prohibition of Obscene Dance Act and excluding the licensing of such performances in hotels, restaurants, or bar rooms from the jurisdiction of the Police Act. To achieve these objectives, the Amendment Bill seeks to amend Sections 2 and 33 of the Maharashtra Police Act (XXII of 1951), thereby removing its authority to independently license orchestra/live music performances in commercial dining and drinking establishments.
Furthermore, Sections 2 and 3 of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) Act, 2016, will now oversee and regulate all live music acts within these establishments. This legislative development represents the state’s ongoing efforts over the past decade to oversee dance bars and related nightlife entertainment, with a strong focus on safeguarding the dignity of women employed in these venues and closing avenues for legal circumvention.
The Bill is set to undergo discussions and voting in the Maharashtra State Legislature.
