Police defend decision on closing time for city hotels

Police defend decision on closing time for city hotels

Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: The Bangalore city police on Friday defended before the Karnataka High Court a notification issued by them ordering eateries to close down by 12 midnight.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration), Shiva Prasad, filed a statement of objection before the court in a case filed by Empire Hotels challenging a notification of May 19, 2009.

The notification ordered all eateries and hotels to close down by midnight. The Empire Group had challenged the notification, saying that many VIPs visited their chain of hotels after 11 p.m. The group filed a statement detailing the number of visitors who visit their chain of hotels in the city. Challenging their claim, the police said they had registered several cases against the hotel chain for keeping their establishments open after the specified hours. They said Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had written to them asking them to step up security around the HAL Corporate office and HAL.

The police said the Empire Hotel in Shivajinagar was very near to the Vidhana Soudha, High Court, Income Tax office, General Post office, Air Force establishments, and VIPs who are categorised under X, Y, Z, and Z-plus security regularly moved around in this area.

There was, therefore, a need to ensure that business establishments and eateries did not function beyond the specified hours.

Justice N.K. Patil adjourned further hearing of the case.