After the suspension of police’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the nightclubs functioning in the mall mile area in Gurgaon, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the order for two clubs – Empire and Queen’s club.
The management of the two businesses had filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The bench of Justice RN Raina stayed the order.
“The court has stayed the Gurugram police commissioner’s order in respect of these two bars and sought response by August 23 from the respondents,” said advocate Mohinder Nain, who is representing one of the petitioners. News
The police commissioner had earlier issued a directive to ensure law and order in the area. The residents had alleged flesh trade and use of drugs in the nightclubs operating in the area. However, the management of clubs had dismissed the allegations.
After the court’s order, the leaders and RWAs said that they are going to fight until they win the case. The residents had come out on the roads and celebrated with songs and dance after the suspension of NOC a day earlier.
It was told in the court that the rival clubs, who had close proximity with the politicians, the decision to suspend the NOC was influenced.
Senior advocate Chetan Mittal told the court that the NOCs were suspended with issuing show-cause notices. “It has caused serious loss of business to the petitioners for which the police department is responsible. They have paid Rs 10 lakh as a license fee to run the bar till 1 am and the said order is causing financial loss to them,” he said.
The association of bar owners had also demanded guidelines to operate clubs during the night. They said they have installed biometric machines at the entrances of the clubs to keep the record of the visitors.
Responding to the stay, Viajypal Yadav, president of the MG Road bar owners’ association, said, “We have invested crores of rupees. We will fight against the police order even if we have to approach the Supreme Court.”
However, the residents said that they are going to organise a meeting on Tuesday to decide about the future course of action including application against the stay in consultation with the lawyers.
PWD minister Rao Narbir Singh said, “If residents approach the Supreme Court, I am with them.”
