The Silver Spoon Cafe v. 1. The State of Telangana

the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court n i y be pleased to direct the respondents more particularly Respondent No 3 herein r lt to interfere with the restaurant business of the petitioner running under the na re and style as The Silver Spoon Cafe' in 2-22-262, l\,4adhapur, Telangana in servinq flavoured Hookahs to its customers pending disposal of the present wr petition. Counsel for the Petitioner: SRI PUJARI MANI SAHITH Counsel for the Respondents: AGP FOR HOME The Court made the following: ORDER i, ,, E THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.SHRAVAN KUMAR WRIT PETITIONN9.2475 lof 2o25 ORDER Heard learned counscl lor the petitioncr arnd Iearne<l Assistaxt Government pleader for Home appearrng lbr Nos.I to 5. With their consent this q,rit disposal at the admission stage itseli responden t pcl ir ion is t a kcn u P le; 2 This u,rit petition is filed seeking foliou.ing pra.!er: ,,...declarinq . the in tl€rk.rcttr'o bg re5p't11fl''111:; rt'itlt lhe business n-t;,,;1., ,u' 'n" pettttutter 'ts itl,',1,tt. ctrbitrory h i i" ; tin: t,;' ;' ;f , :to,: 2' i ; Z I : ;, ; I 1., : I : :,1" :,,1 ! : not to interfere uith th. :-:.-'.;^'-'r,, .t t-s.(ol 'iy1*.u, a ttookah, serurr.es ,r ,o!oi",i,lil::,:,-^,:L t'o r r t p t i a r t c. e u) i t h t h e c", ::+;' ; i il:,L? i :, Smoking in publtc places Rules, )O08.. .. "r; ,;i;;';! l"^1,,i "i,,,ul Spacc, Mad h apu r,

3. The facts of the case in brief as stated are that petitioncr is running a Cafe under the name ald style of "thc Silver Spoon Cafc,, sttuated at premises No.2-22-262, .lerrace Telangana under the jurisdiction ofrespondent No_5 It is su llnritterl that the petitioner has obtained all necessary permrssions ltom vartous authorities to run its business. The petitioner has also obtaincd trade license from GHMC. The rnair-r grievance ol the petitioner is that though petitioner permissions, rcspondent authorities lrom serving llaveLllscil ]rookahs in t.l,r e satcl [_ongue same, the prescllL rvrit petition is hled having aU the Questionirg tlte afe restrr cti ng the petitioner necessaf-v 1S l l I l I J I i I I I 2

4. On a perusal of the COTP Act, 2003, Sub-cler ses (b), (k) and (n) of Scction 3: Definitions, reads as under: "(b) cigare ttc: inclucles,- (i) anu roll of tobacco turapped in p antl other substance not contcLining toba : (ii) ary1 roll of tobacco urapp.( sr.tbstance contoininq tobacco, uthich-, bu ils uppearonce, the Qlpe of tobocco rt,; frlter, or its packaqing and labelling is l;.) offe,red to, or purchased bt1, cons ) cicla.rette, htt does not incLude beedi, cit r:ir lar: (k) ltroduc:tion., uith its grammaticaL uant coqn.ate axpressions, includes the making of c cigars, c:heroots, beedis, cigarette tobacco, piS.e hookcth ktbctccct, cheLuing tobacco, pan mas(l chetoing rrtat.eiaL hauing tobacco as ott-t ingrediertts (1t11 tuhateuer name called) or snuf,' include (i) packing, Labelling or re-IcLIn cotttainers; pctcko.ges; ct.nd (ii) re-packing from bulk pockages (ii] tlae adoption of arug other t tper or Ln :o, in any 'eason of :d in the eQ1 to be 'rlers as 'root and ions and 'gctrettes, tobacco, a or ona of its utd shctll llinq, of to retail ethod to retLr.Le:r the lobacco product marketable; (rt) srn.okLng, mecLns smoking of tobac: > in arty form whether in the fonn of cigarette, cigar, rcedis or otheruise utitLt the aid of a pipe, wrapper or t .nA other irLstntrn.c t LLs:"

5. Section z1 of the Act stipulates prohibition r smoking in a public place. As per the State Amendment of Gujl.at, Section 4A has been inserted u.hich is extracted hereunder for r :ference " l'rohibition of hookah bor.-4A.Nottuitl anything c:ontatrted in this Ac| no person shaL,, his outn or on behalf oJ any other person, ol)t ang hookctlt bar in ang place including the eatir ExS.tLarration. - The term eating house :;t the sanu: rrLearrirtg as assigned to it by cLau: s tctnding either orL rL or ruD1 7 house. all haue (sA) of = J section 2 of the GuJarat Police Act, 1951 (Bom. XXII of 19s1)"

6. Similarly the State of Maharashtra also inserted Section 4A as \^/as inserted by State of Gujarat 7 . 'l'his Court has taken note of the above amendments c:l-ricd out by other States in their respective statlttes on the subject r.r'hich I may serve as useful guide B. Sec[ion 6 of the Act refers to prohibition on szrle of ciq:]r et tc or other tobacco products to persons below the age of 18 -1,cars eurcl in particular area.

9. Scction 7 of the Act stipulates Restrictions ou Lracle :uxl commerce in, and production, supply and distribution of cigarcttcs and other tobacco products. Sub Clauses of Section 7 are zrs follou. s "7 (1) (2) No person shalL carry on trade or cornrn.erce itt cigarettes or an!/ other tobocco products unless euery pctckage of cigarettes or ang other tobacco prorTucts sold, supplied or distibuted bg him bears thereort, or ort its lubel, thc speciJled uaming. (3) No person shall import cigarettes or ang other toltacco products for distibution or supplA for a ualuable consideration or for sale in India unless euery package of cigarettes or any other tobacco products so irnported blt hint bears thereon, or on its labe\, the speciJled utarning. 4.... (5) No p<:rson shall, directly or rndirectLy, protluce, sttppLg or clistnbute cigarettes or anl1 other tobctcco t' 4 - products urLless euenl package of cigarettes o' tng other to bctcco products produced, supplied or disl,r bute-d bg Ltim inciicates thereon, or on its label, the ntc ttine and tar conte-nts on each cigorette or ds the caset r .ag be on other ktbacco products along utith the narimum p e r mis s i b Le Lirn.its th.ereof: Prouided th.ct.t the nicotine and tar contents shall not exceed the nvtxt.nrunt pennissible quantitg I ereof as mag be pre:scribed by ntles made under this Ar 1." 1 0. Section 1 I of the Act reads as followq

17. Testing laboratory Jor nicotine dnd tat contents: For purposr:s of testinq tlrc nicotine and tar tt ntents in cigarettcs ct rtd any otLLer tobacco products t.t z Central (jo uenun.e nt shall. bt1 notiJication in the Offioc I Gazette grant recogtlitiort to such testing Laborator',1 as that Gouenune n.t rn.a.y cleem necessary. 1 1- Section L2 of the Act clcals with Power of eli ry and search, which reads as undcr "(1) Any poLir:e ofJicer, not belou the rant inspe-ctor or anlJ off.cer of State Food Administration or anA other officer, hok ec1uiualent rank being not belou the rartl. Inspector of Poli.ce, authorise side by the Gouentntent or by the State Gouentment maA anA reasotl to suspect tlrut ong prouision of tlii been, or is being, contrauened, enter and sec.r manner prescrib<:c1., at any reasonable time, att building, busines-s ;;remises or anA other place" of a sub- )r Drug 'ing the of Sub- CentraL 'f he has ; Act hc"s :h in the r factory,

12. Section 13 of thc Act reads as under: "Potuer to Seize: (1) If ang police o.fftcer, not belou th.e r tnk of a sub inspector or en!:l officer of State Food or Dntg Aclministratton or erLA other ofJicer, horc ing the equiualent ronk being not belout the ranA of Sub- lnspector o.f Poltce, o.Llthoised by the, Central Gouernment or blJ tLLe- State Gouerntnent, Lc"s atLA reoson to belieue that, ) @) in respect of ang package of cigarettes or ong oiht' tobacco Products' or '""A aduertisement of @) in respei-""f ,iqo,"ltr:' or ony othcr tobacco producls' ',X:';,;;i'i."; i1 Act haue been' or o're bernq' cottrauenerT, he maA seize such package or 'ni' 7i"Liirt"'^."t mateiarln the manner prescibed "*"'''i;)';;";..ol.ogt of ciaarettes or ona other tobacco oroducls or adtr,crlrsemenl'moteial seized under clause '/nt nr <tth seclion (1) shati be retalned bg the offtcer ulto '!J,i.i"in.' i",ilr"" " aduertisement matenat for o of the DenUcl r_xccr-ding ninettl ioy, po^ the .da.te uilhin 'sei.zure unless the opp'o"t iS rhe .oistrict,'ludge' i;;ts of utiose jurisdiction s1:.:l:etzure uas t;;;;; '^oao, n"t been obtained for such retentton' . 13 Sectior1 7 of the Act stlpulates label on any tobacco llfo(iLl'ts with specifretl r'r"arning' The petitioner nowhere made submtsstons to the cxtent of hookah tobacco contents that would be served to their customcrs The petitioner intends to supply hookah u'ilhout aly brand or label, which is against the provisions of Section 7 of the Act. 'lhat apart, if the petitioner is allowed to mix any product by u'htchever name it is called generally' referred as flavourcd hookah, u'ithout :rny approvals ald whether the nicotine and other contents are permissible and such flavoured hookah if permittcd by to their customers, the quality checks goes thc petitioner to serve unchecked. As such permission to serve flavoured hookah 1S required to be obtained from the competent authority'

14. This Court tn similar circumstances disposed of the u'rit 22.O8.2O25 zrnd the petition in W.P'No 24155 of 2025 opcratlve Portion ol the said order reads as under 6 " 19. Recording the submission rnc.,l learned counsel appeonng on either sicle or .t of Common order dated 15.i 1.2023 in W.p.\ 20 13 and. batch, this utrit petition is c) : Leauirtg it open to the responde,nt autltoitie appropriate orders on the representatiotts mt petitioner to respondent outhorities on O) 13.06.2025 and O5.07.2025 and poss (,1 orders in tenns of the common order pass,z Courl on 15.1 1.2023 and as per the prouisiottl Act, t.he: petitioner m.aq tuorkout appropdatt as auoilebLe under lanu irt the pending Cr.lrt cn, q t bg tlrc ' in tenns c.8223 of oosed of i ,o pass 7e LttT the o6.2025, propriate I bg this of COTP "ernedies .1438 of 2O. Accordinglg, this utit petition is dis,t tsed of."

15. This Court in thc erbove u,rit petition ; lso referrerl to W.P.No.8223 of 2013 and barch dated 15.11 2023 ald the operative portion is extracted herein for reference: "24. [n uietu of tlte a.boue riiscussion, llr, of tLLe opirliott. tltat imposing of ceftoin conclit;.t the Hookah. Centres utould meet the ends of jt..: i) As Charcoal is beiry used for seruine the Hoolcah Centres, the pr:litioners shaLl obrc from. the Municipctl Corporation as specili, Section 52 I (1 )(b) of Greater Hyderabaci Corporation Act, I 955. ; Courl A rls to ntn tice. tookah in ,,n. Licence d under VIun.[cipal ii) Since the lTgderabad City police Act, l confers pou)er ouer the arnusentenl Centres/ r,: u.t hich are deJined as "public place" under tht, and as Stc:r Rule I of the Prohibitiort of Smokirr 1 P/acr-.s 1?ule,s, 2OOB pemtission is required s area. Therefore, to estabLish hookctr, 5.mol';iq 348 Fasli ;teurants )OT'P Act tt Public tecrJying centres,,' 7 the petitioners shall obtoin necessary penni.sston from the concerned authority under the prouisions of the Citg Police Act. ii] The Hookah Centres are prohibited from seruing any tobacco product to the persons belotu the age of eighteen Aeors. Hctoial health uarning labels at Lhe entrance rnust be displaged. ru) The respondents police ore at liberty to superuise and inspect the Hookoh Centres, for ang uioLation of rules and regulations, guidelines or circulars issued under Lhe prouisiorts oJ the Hyderabad City Pctlk:e Act, 1348 F o.sli. u) If tltere is any uiolation of the prouisions of the COTP Act and the Rules made tl.tereunder, the responclertts-police are at liberty to take appropiate action as per the prouisions o.f the COTP Act." \ t I

16. Accordingly, this r.r.rit pctition is disposed of in terms of orders passed in W.P.No.24155 of 2025 dated 22.Oa.2O25 and W.P.No.8223 of 2013 ancl batch dated 15. 11.2023, granting libert_r, to the petitioner to file an application within a period of one (1) week fiom the date of rcceipt of a copy of this order to respondent authorities seeking permission to serve flavoured hookah ar-rd it is left open to the respondcnt authorities to pass appropriate orders on the application, if any made by the petitioner in terms of thc aforementioned orders passed by this Court and as per the provisions of COI'P Act- Ir is made clear that, it is for the respondent authorities to pass appropriate orders for granting permission strictly in accordance u'ith lau,. It is needless to state that the 8 respondent authoritics shall folion, due procedure is contemplated under law beforc initiating arry action against the pr iLioncr. 17 - Accordingly, this rvnt pctition is disposed r;f Miscellaneous applications, if any pe nding, shall stand closed. 'l I erc shall be no order as to costs. SI) .P. PONNA KRISHNA AS;] iISTANT REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY' 'isecrroru oFFrcER Hyderabad, State of The Principal Secretary, Home Department. SecrctjH;rl lelangana. The Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad Commrssionor rte, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. The Assistant Commissioner of police. tt,4adhapur Zon,> Cyberabacl Commissione ra te. HVderabad. The Deputy Commislioner of police. l\,4adhapur Zone C yberabad Commission race. HVderabad. The Station House dfficer, Commissionerate, Hvderabad. ONE CC tO SRI PUJARI A/ANI SAHITH, AdVOCAIE IOPIJ )] Two CCs to GP FOR HOI\,rlE. High Court for the StLte,, t'etangana, at Hyderabad. [OUT] Two CD Copies police Statron, C r rerabad ^/adhapur To 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 B PSK. i I HIGH COURT DATED:2711012025 I ORDER WP.No.24751 of 2025 , ::,. i _t) 1,t, ), \ \\ i ,i i.:i ?fifr -il DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITION WITHOUT COSTS I =J ( \r,