The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court on March 21 that it has formed a 12-member committee to frame guidelines for regulating spa and massage centers in the State. .These guidelines will deal with licensing procedures, operational standards and issues like cross-gender massages, with the aim of ensuring legal operations while protecting the rights and dignity of workers.A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale directed that the guidelines be placed before the Court by June 10. The Court added that the committee should consult relevant stakeholders before finalising the guidelines..The committee, formed on March 21, includes senior officials from various State departments. The Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department will chair the committee, which also includes members from the Urban Development, Rural Development, Public Health, Medical Education, Law and Justice and AYUSH departments. Health commissioners, police officials and directors of medical education are also part of the committee. Their task is to develop a licensing policy, set operational standards, and address contentious issues like cross-gender massages, following guidelines already set by the Delhi government..This decision follows a petition filed by 11 massage therapists (petitioners) who claimed that police raids on their businesses under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956 resulted in harassment and violations of their rights to livelihood and dignity. The petitioners requested the Court to implement guidelines to regulate spas and massage centres and to prevent unwarranted police interference. In January, Advocate General Birendra Saraf had assured the Court that the State would not have any objections to cross-gender massages and would soon introduce guidelines to regulate such practices. The Court then directed the framing of guidelines, leading to the creation of the committee..The committee's guidelines will also factor in a 2019 judgment from the Madras High Court on spas and massage centres, along with guidelines issued by the Delhi government on related issues. .[Read Government Resolution]
The Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court on March 21 that it has formed a 12-member committee to frame guidelines for regulating spa and massage centers in the State. .These guidelines will deal with licensing procedures, operational standards and issues like cross-gender massages, with the aim of ensuring legal operations while protecting the rights and dignity of workers.A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale directed that the guidelines be placed before the Court by June 10. The Court added that the committee should consult relevant stakeholders before finalising the guidelines..The committee, formed on March 21, includes senior officials from various State departments. The Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department will chair the committee, which also includes members from the Urban Development, Rural Development, Public Health, Medical Education, Law and Justice and AYUSH departments. Health commissioners, police officials and directors of medical education are also part of the committee. Their task is to develop a licensing policy, set operational standards, and address contentious issues like cross-gender massages, following guidelines already set by the Delhi government..This decision follows a petition filed by 11 massage therapists (petitioners) who claimed that police raids on their businesses under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956 resulted in harassment and violations of their rights to livelihood and dignity. The petitioners requested the Court to implement guidelines to regulate spas and massage centres and to prevent unwarranted police interference. In January, Advocate General Birendra Saraf had assured the Court that the State would not have any objections to cross-gender massages and would soon introduce guidelines to regulate such practices. The Court then directed the framing of guidelines, leading to the creation of the committee..The committee's guidelines will also factor in a 2019 judgment from the Madras High Court on spas and massage centres, along with guidelines issued by the Delhi government on related issues. .[Read Government Resolution]
