Jaideep Shenoy/The Hindu

• Police have full powers to effectively regulate the functioning of live bands
• Deputy Commissioner will be the licensing authority

Mangalore, Aug 4: With the State Government approving the final notification governing the functioning of live bands in the city, time has started ticking away for these "amusement" joints. Formulated on the lines of a similar order brought out by their counterparts in Bangalore, the district police authorities are awaiting its publication in the State Gazette before they can crack their whip on such ventures.

The "Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Entertainment and Public Amusement (Dakshina Kannada district) Order 2006" brought out under sub-section six under section 31 of the Karnataka Police Act, police would have full powers to effectively regulate the functioning of live bands in the district. At present, there are 16 live bands in Dakshina Kannada, all of them in Mangalore taluk.

While the publication of this order in the Gazette is a formality, police authorities here have started strictly enforcing the time limit given to these live bands, liquor bars and shops across the city. This enforcement was introduced after the Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) H.N. Sathyanarayana Rao found that these facilities were functioning late at night subsequent to recent instances of violence in the city.

According to Mr. Rao, most of the live bands were functioning in Mangalore City Corporation limits or on their periphery. Superintendent of Police B. Dayananda said the order should have been published in the Gazette by now, but for a technical problem.

According to him the department had followed the procedures in this regard and the Deputy Commissioner would be the licensing authority and the police will be authorised to enforce it.