Hello Mumbai City Desk 

MUMBAI: 9 th July 2026 :

The issue of dance bars and orchestra licenses in Mumbai has long posed a challenge for the Maharashtra government. Last week, Mumbai Police suspended 11 orchestra licenses for violations of the 2016 Act, underscoring that this is not a new concern

The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Wednesday passed a bill aimed at curbing the misuse of orchestra and live music performance licences across the state.

Under the newly passed legislation, licences for orchestras and live music performances will now be brought strictly under the purview of anti-obscenity regulations. Permission to host orchestra and live music performances in hotels, restaurants, and bars will be granted exclusively under the stringent guidelines of the Maharashtra Prohibition of Obscene Dance in Hotels, Restaurants and Bar Rooms and Protection of Dignity of Women (working therein) Act, 2016.

Previously, these permissions were regulated under Section 33 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951. The legislative shift is intended to tighten regulatory oversight and prevent the exploitation of performance licences in commercial entertainment venues.