Maharashtra cuts licence fee hikes for Mumbai orchestra bars, grants COVID-19 waivers

Mumbai, Oct 13 (UNI) Maharashtra's Home Department has revised premises licence fees for orchestra bars within the Mumbai Police Commissionerate jurisdiction, halving the annual renewal hike and granting fee waivers for pandemic-hit periods in 2020 and 2021. The decision follows a legal challenge by the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) through Writ Petition No. 2614/2025 before the Bombay High Court. Under an earlier notification issued by the Mumbai Police Commissioner, orchestra bars faced a premises licence fee of Rs 2 lakh, along with a proposed annual renewal increase of 10%, applicable retrospectively from January 1, 2018. Under the revised…