Ajit Pawar blames Law and Judiciary over SC ruling in dance bar case

MUMBAI: In a veiled attack on the coalition partner Congress, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar today blamed the Law and Judiciary department for the state's failure to defend ban on dance bars in Mumbai.

The Supreme Court, two days ago, quashed the ban. The ban was said to be a brainchild of Home Minister R R Patil, who is from NCP.

The Law and Judiciary portfolio is with Congress, and currently it is held by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan himself.

"We imposed the ban on dance bars in 2005. However, some people say that due to discrepancies (left in the law) by the Law and Judiciary department, the law enacted by us did not stand up in the Supreme Court," said Pawar, speaking at an NCP function.

Reacting to Pawar's statement, Maharashtra Congress chief Manikrao Thakre said both Law and Judiciary and Home were responsible for the defence of the ban.

The apex court, in its verdict, held the law as unconstitutional and discriminatory, as it allowed dance performances at five-star hotels but not at bars.