After dance bar setback,ministers demand law & judiciary dept reform

“The department of law and judiciary needs to be strengthened by hiring the best brains in the profession.”

“Nobody can deny there is scope for improvement in the department,” an officer said. Leading the attack on the department headed by CM is deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Thursday,he said poor homework by the ministry of law and judiciary resulted in Supreme Court lifting the dance bar ban.

“The department of law and judiciary should have taken into account all critical aspects to prepare a strong case against dance bars that would have stood in Bombay High Court and Supreme Court.” Pawar emphasised the need to strengthen the department to make it competent to face the various challenges in courts.

A senior official in the home ministry said,“The basis of our case was that the dance bar culture was ruining several thousand families socially and economically.”

Those who challenged the ban argued that it denied livelihood to bar girls. Government pleaders clearly overlooked the aspect of rehabilitation and livelihood of bar girls. The government could not tell the court measures taken to provide alternative livelihood to the girls.

Home minister R R Patil said,“It is a true we have not received a single application from bar girls since 2005-06 seeking a job.”

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre defended CM. He said: “While nobody disputes the department of law and judiciary needs more teeth,all important decisions are a collective responsibility of the government.

“There is no point in fault-finding. The home ministry headed by R R Patil also played a crucial role in the dance bar case.”