Maharashtra CM forms committee over dance bars

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced the setting up of a 25-member Joint Select Committee (JSC) of members from both the houses of the state legislature under his chairmanship that will draft the legislation that will seek to regulate dance bars in the state. Announcing this in both the houses of the state legislature, the chief minister stated that the committee would draft the legislation that will be introduced in the ongoing budget session of the state legislature for passage. His statement comes after the directives from legislative council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar on March 11.

Making a suo-motto statement in both the houses, the CM drew the attention of the house to his last week’s statement to this effect. He said that the committee would hold meetings and draft the bill which shall be introduced in the on-going session itself. Mr Fadnavis further stated that the government has taken the legal opinions expressed earlier by Solicitor General of India, former advocate general and current advocate general of the state while drafting the legislation. He added that the senior members of both the houses shall render their collective wisdom in drafting a comprehensive new legislation which shall be introduced in this on-going session itself for passage.

The 25-member committee of legislators from both the houses of the state legislature includes, among others, minister for revenue Eknath Khadse (BJP), minister for public transport Diwakar Raote (Shiv Sena), Dr Neelam Gorhe (Sena), leader of opposition in legislative assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress), leader of opposition in legislative council Dhananjay Munde (NCP), Jayant Patil (NCP), Sunil Prabhu (Sena), Kapil Patil (Lokbharti MLC) and Imtiaz Jalil (AIMIM)

It may be recalled that last week Council chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar had directed the state government to form the JSC.