Pubs, bars approach Telangana HC against order restricting music timings
HYDERABAD: Upset by the recent order of the Telangana High Court against using loud music after 10 pm, pubs and bars have lined up at the High Court stating that it was affecting their business adversely. They said police were harassing them.
Complaining that turning off the music has been causing a loss of revenue as customers preferred music to unwind, the managements of several pubs and bars filed appeal petitions challenging the order. Some filed implead petitions before the single judge bench, which had given the order.
The Hyderabad Restro Lounges Association filed two appeals challenging the single judge orders. Others also ahve filed implead petitions before the single judge.
Senior counsel Bollam Chandrasen Reddy, representing the implead petitioners, submitted to the court that the owners had invested a lot of money, including for procuring licences and clearances from excise, fire, police, GHMC and others.
“Though the renewal of police licence, grants permission to run the outlet up to 11 pm, the state revenue excise department has issued GO 339 (01.08.2018) granting permission to run bars till midnight from Sunday to Thursday and till 1 am from Friday to Saturday, Chandrasen Reddy said.
He argued that when rules clearly mentioned the level of noise during the day and at night, stopping music after 10 pm was a violation of Article 19.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Kanneganti Lalitha adjourned the hearing to October 27 because appeals challenging the restrictions are to be heard by the division bench of the High Court headed by Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan.
