Aditya Thackeray's Mumbai nightlife move hits roadblock

Shiv Sena youth wing chief Aditya Thackeray’s much-discussed ‘Vibrant Nightlife’ proposal for Mumbai hit a roadblock on Friday, as the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra Government not to implement its policy of reviving the nightlight in the metropolis till adequate measures were taken to ensure the safety of women.

Hearing a couple of PIls on the safety of women in the metropolis, a HC division bench of Justices AS Oka and AK Menon asked the State Government not to go ahead with its proposal to improve nightlife in Mumbai, till it satisfied the court about the effectiveness of the measures taken by it to ensure the safety of women in the metropolis.  

“We cannot restrict the state from taking a policy decision. However, if such a policy to allow restaurants and bars to remain open 24/7 is taken or being taken, then before it is implemented the Government will have to satisfy the court that impact on the safety of women was considered. Don’t implement the policy until you satisfy us that adequate measures will be taken regarding women’s safety,” Justice Oka said.

The High Court’s direction to the BJP-led saffron alliance government came less than a month after Aditya Thackeray met Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a formal letter requesting the latter to put in place the laws that make Mumbai a “live 24/7” city.  During the meeting, the chief minister had shown keenness to implement Jr Thackeray’s “Vibrant nightlife” proposal for Mumbai.

“Unless you conduct a study, you should not take any decision. Consider the impact of such policy on safety of women,” the HC bench noted, as it directed the Government to refer the policy to the Justice CS Dharmadhikari committee, set up earlier to address the issue of safety of women, for impact assessment.