On Tuesday, police served a notice to some of the popular places in the city— Skyye, Shiro’s , City Bar, Bierre Club, F-Bar among several others — banning them from playing loud music in open places after 10 pm.

Police have invoked a 2005 Supreme Court order which puts a blanket ban on playing of loud music in open places after 10 pm. Playing music in open places is a cognisable offence under Karnataka Pollution Control Act and Police Act. A Government of Karnataka notification has been issued in this regard.

In their notice, police have directed the proprietors of these upmarket clubs to play music — at permissible levels — only inside their premises up to 11.30 pm. Music, at any volume, is not permitted in open places attached to their joints after 10 pm. The order virtually ends nightlife in the city.

Police have decided to issue similar notices to other rooftop and terrace pubs, lounge bars and clubs. A few prestigious clubs in the Central Business District, that have weekend parties which run late into the night on their open lawns, will also be served a similar notice, sources said.

The decision was taken at a meeting of senior police officers, chaired by Police Commissioner Raghavendra B Auradkar. Following this, Joint Commissioner (Law & Order) B K Singh spent two hours in Cubbon Park police station on Tuesday afternoon, finalising the details of the draft notice. Once ready, the notice was dispatched to a couple of happening places within the Cubbon Park police limits. Other police stations which have similar joints located in their jurisdiction have also been instructed to send out the notice.

This new rule comes on the heels of the police targeting live band joints and discotheques. “If they play music in open place after 10 pm, we will book a case against them and seize the audio system along with liquor stocks. We will write to the excise department to cancel the excise licence,’’ a senior police officer told Bangalore Mirror .

Another officer claimed that notice “had to be issued” to Skyye following numerous complaints from residents on Vittal Mallya Road and Lavelle Road (including Vijay Mallya’s father-in-law, Kumar Siddanna) about the lounge bar playing loud music late into the night. Residents claimed it disturbed peace and tranquillity.

The police have been told to register FIR against such persons or organisations that violate the rule. “The court had ruled that ‘night’ means the intervening period between 10 pm and 6 am, when there would be a complete ban on playing loud music or making any noise. If somebody has a problem with our notice, let them go to court and get a direction. Till such time, follow the court order and our direction,” the police officer explained.

Reproduced from Bangalore Mirror