India, April 4 -- The Bombay High Court on Thursday observed that a restaurant and bar cannot be denied a licence to run live orchestra performances based on "misplaced apprehension" about law and order problems.

The licensing authority's order denying such a licence to Hausa restaurant and bar in Sanpada, Navi Mumbai, "appeared to be without any objective basis", a single judge bench of justice NJ Jamadar said, setting aside the order.

The court said that the licensing authority, while denying the licence to the establishment, had relied on objections raised by citizens "which were evidently based on an incorrect impression" that granting the licence would turn it into a dance bar.

The court also noted that the licensing authority had...