VERY IMPORTANT POINT
In the case of holding of the Miss World Beauty Pageant in Bangalore, India, the Supreme Court granted ad-interim stay of the operation of the directions issued by the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court on Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd. filing an affidavit that liquor will be served only as a welcome toast at the beginning of the pageant and at the end of the contest in selected enclosures, only to the invitees, organisers and dignitaries and not to the audience generally or to the participants.

Headnote:MISS WORLD BEAUTY PAGEANT-Question of serving of liquor and payment of expenses to be incurred by State for maintenance of law and order-Affidavit filed by petitioner-Company stating that liquor will be served only as a welcome toast at beginning of pageant and at the end of contest in selected enclosures only to invitees, organisers and dignitaries-No liquor will be served to audience generally or to participants-Petitioner would pay requisite charges to State for providing security for pageant-Rest of directions issued by Division Bench of High Court are not sustainable-Ad interim stay granted of operation of directions issued by High Court-All actions taken in pursuance of these directives shall also be stayed. (Paras 1 to 3)

ORDER

We have carefully perused the pleadings in the High Court and the judgments rendered by the learned Single Judge as well as the Division Bench. We have also taken note of the directions given by the Division Bench. The petitioners appreciating the anxiety of the Division Bench on the question of serving of liquor and payment of expenses to be incurred by the State for maintenance of law and order have filed an affidavit sworn by the General Manager (Legal) of the petitioner-Company wherein it is stated as under :

(a) Liquor will be served only as a welcome toast at the beginning of the pageant and as a toast at the end of the contest. This service will be in selected enclosures and will be served only to the invitees, organisers and dignitaries seated in those enclosures. No liquor shall be served to the audience generally or to the participants.

(b) The petitioner would pay the requisite charges to the State for providing security for the pageant in accordance with the applicable rules.

2. This, in our view, satisfies the main anxiety of the Division Bench. The rest of the directions, we are prima-facie satisfied, are not sustainable.

3. In view of what has been stated in the affidavit we grant ad-interim stay of the operation of the directions issued by the Division Bench of the High Court. All actions taken in pursuance of these directives shall also be stayed.

Notice to respondents returnable within six weeks.

4. A copy of this order may be given to counsel for the petitioners today and may be sent by fax to the Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka and to the Registrar General of the High Court of Karnataka.

Ordered accordingly. Notice to Mahila Jagran Manch returnable within six weeks.

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Parallel Citations of other Journals :

Amitabh Bachchan Corpn. Ltd. v. Mahila Jagran Manch, 1996(8) Supreme 141

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