N//s. RIO Caf6 v. The State of Telangana

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of lndia praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit fiied therewith, the High Court may be pleased to issue writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus direct the respondents herein to allow the petitioner to earmark his designated smoking area as per the COTPA Act and to allow his clientele to use the same as they please as long as they are following the same COTPA Act 2003 in the name and style as M/s RIO Cafe and Sports (Banaeem Exports and lmports) Situated at Plot No.'1 1, 13 and 14, Quli Qutubshah Colony, Puppalguda, Near Hallmark Tranquil, Rajendranagar, Ranga Reddy District without reference to rule, Iaw or regulations as illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional and contrary to the provisions of COTP Act and consequently direct the respordents to permit the petitioner to continue his business of serving flavoured Hookahs in his shop in the name and style as lt//s RIO Cafe and Sports (Banaeem E:xports and lmports) Situated at Plot No 1.1 , 13 and 14, Quli Qutubshah Colonv, Pupp2lguda, Near Hallmark Tranquil, Rajendranagar, Ranga Reddy District without zrny hindrance or restriclion s lA NO: 1 OF 2025 Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the c roumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High CoL rt ma)/ be pleased to direct the respondent No.S not to interfere with the coffee shop Business of the petilicner running under the name and style as lrrlls fllr] Caf6 and Sports (Banaeem Exports and lmports) Situated at Plot No.' .1 , 1 3 and 1 4, Quli Qutubshah Colony, Puppalguda, Near Hallmark Tranquil, Ilajendranagar, Ranga Reddy District in serving flavoured Hookahs to his customers pending disposal of the Writ Petition in the interest of justice Counsel for the Petitioner : SRI MOHD ASIFUDDIN Counsel forthe Respondents: AGP FOR HOME The Court made the following: ORDER I THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.SHRAVAN KUMAR WRIT PETITION No.3O328 of 2025 ORDER Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home appearing for respondents. With their consent this writ petition is taken up for disposal at the admission stage itself

2. This r.vrit petition is filed seeking follon,ing prayer: "direct the respondents herein to alkttu the petitioner to earmark his designated smokinq area o.s per the COTPA Act and to allou,t his clientele to use the sone as theg please as lorug as they are folLouting the sctme CO'I'PA Act, 2OO3 in the name and styLe as M/s.RIO Cafe and Sports (Banaeem ExporLs .and Imports) Situated at Plot 1[os.]1, 13 and 14 Quli Qutubshah Colong, Puppalguda, Near HaLlmark Tranquil, RajendrcL nagar, Ranga Reddy Distrlct tuithout reference to n e law or regulations as illegcil, arbitrary, unconstitutional and contrartl to the prouisions of COTP Act and consequently direct the respondents to permit the petitioner to continue hi.s business of seruing Jlauoured Hookahs in his shop tn the name and stgle as M/ s.RIO Cafe and Sporfs (Banaeem Exports and Imports) situated at Plot -lfos.7 1, 13 and 14, Quli Qutubshah Colony, Puppalguda, Near Hallmark Tranquil, Rajendra nagar, Ranga Reddy Distict tuithout ang hindrance or restrictions. . "

3. The facts of the case in brief as stated are that petitioner claims to be Proprietor of the Coffee Shop namely 'M/s.RIO Cafe and Sports' having its premises at Plot Nos. 1 1, 1 3 ald 14, Quli Qutubshah Colony, Puppalguda, Near Hallmark Tranquil, I Rajendra nagar, Ranga Reddy District. It is subnritted that tl-re i,- 2 petitioner J:iar; obtained all necessary pcrmissions from r.arious authorities to rur-r its business. The petitior rer has applied for provisional trlde license from GHMC. Thc reslondent authorities are restricting thc petitioner from serving flavcured hookahs in the saicl Colfee Sirop. Questioning the sam,:, the: present u'rrt petition is filed

4. On a pr:rusal of the COTP Act, 20O3, lir-rb clauses (b), (k) :rnd (n) of Scction 3: Definitions, reads as und,:r " (l t ) c:t c1 a re:I.Lc: includ es, (i.) a.n.u roll of t.obctcco LureppeC i.n ptaper or in an.t1 other su bstan.ce not cotltainitlrl tobacco, (ii) anq roll of tobacco Lurapped in anu -sirlrsfulrzce contctininq tobacco, utlt.ich., bq reason of rt:: ctppeara.nce, the tupe of tobt':co used irl tlt,. lilLer. ctr iLs pctcltaqinq and labt'l.li.n.q |s likeLu lo lx: ofit:red to. or pu.rchctsed bu, (on.su,n€r.s o.s c:ioareLte, buL does not include b':.ed.i, cheroot rtnd crqar; (k) production., uith its grammatic al uariations and coc1na.te expressions, includes th<z mctking of cig areltet s, cigars, cheroots, beedis, cigarette lobacco, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, cheLuing tobacco, pan masaLa or ana cheu,ting material hauinT tobacco as one of tts ingredients (bg u.thateuer ncLln? ca.lled) or snull and shall include- (i) packing, labelling or re-labell.ing, of cottainers; pacltaqes; and (ii) re-packing from bulk packttres to retail (iii) the adoption of ang other method to render the tobacco product marketab,i.e; (n) sntoking, medns smoking of to "tttcco in ang Jbrm uth.ether in the fornt of cigarette, cigar, b<zedis or I otherLuise uith the aid of a pipe, u-.trapper or ang other instruments;"

5. Section 4 of the Act stipulates prohibition of smoking in a public place. As per the State Amendment of Gujarat, Section 44 has bcen inserted u,hich is extracted hereunder lor reference: "pronXXion of nootcan . 4A. Notuitltstand w ctnything contained in this Act, no person shall, either orr his outn or on behalf of any other person, open or ntn anA hookah bar in ang place including the eating house. Dxplanation.-- The ternL eating house shall hctue the same n'tectning as assigned to it bg clause (5A) of .secrro/l 2 of the Gujarat Police Act, 1951 (Bom. XXII of 19st)."

6. Similarly the State of Maharashtra also inserted Scction 44 as \lras inserted b,t, State of Gujarat.

7. This Court has taken note of the above amendments carried out by other States in their respective statutcs on the subject which may serve as useful guide

8. Section 6 of the Act refers to prohibition on sale of cigarette or other tobacco products to persons below the age of lB years and in particular area

9. Section 7 ol the Act stipulates Restrictions on tracle and commcrce in, and production, supply and distribr-rtion of I cigilrcLtes .rn(i otirer lobac:co products. Sr-rb ( itttscs; of Scction 7 arc ars [ol]o,.i s "7 (1) . (2) Ntt 1tt'tsrui .sha11 c()tnl otL tracle or ti)ti1.nic:tcc in <'iclctrt,llt;: ()r etltl rrtlr<'r loltctcc'.o proclucl:: totles.s eucrrri ltrtt lrrrtlt Ol' c'irlttrt-tit's ()r untl otller toltt,c,:ct produr:ts .sr-,lrl. .srr,,,1rlrcr.l or tlislnlttttctl by ltint lt<-'rt,:; the':-ectn, ctr ott its lo:x'1.l.hc sltcc'ilit'rl iuurnitlg. (.)) N,t l)i,7.s()r? :;htrll irrrltrtrt cigart:tle s )r an..t.l olltcr toltttc't:o ltrocl.ucts Ji'tr rlistriltution. or : uytpl.y Jbr u uuluultlc consrclcntliorr rtr for sarle In /r'clia unlc:.s.>^ r:tpt-!l ltttcltrrclt' oI t irlor<'lles or cutl! ( ll]er toltut'co ltrodttcl:; so itttpctrtL:cl ltrl ltttn bectrs lLtct',.'r.'n, or ott its l,,lt, l. tl' 4.. /5j N,-r 7r,'i.s;orr sltctll. t.lircctly or inr.lirtrlltl. producc, sttpplLl , tr distriltrtLa t itlcut'tles or ut1L./ ,)ltler LobecL:o ltrocltrcl:: rarle-s-s t,ucrty ltctclt.agle c.tJ' ciqttt ettes or ctrttl otltcr !t)l)(1c(\) pntclttcl:; prodttced, ::'.tpplied or rlislrritrttctl l'tt| hirn uulicctLes thereort, ot on its lebel, the rriL:olrrtc, ancl tcrr cortt.ctnts on each t iclaret.te or as llre r:rr.sr trtaty bc ort othcr tobacco produr t.:; along turth llrc: ntrr:itntttrr Pr:r-r i r i.s.s iDk, lirttits thert'oJ': Prttr.'irl<'tl lltrrt. l.l rL- nit'olirtc artd tc.rr ('onl. /1fs shall rtot r,.tcr:cd ; I tt' r ttct-xtrntr rrr Trcr nrrssible qu at1 l' t !.1 thereof us tttaq ltt''trcsctiltr.:d btl rt.rl<'s rnade u.ttdcr llt's Ac:t." -1 )r'r'r/i, ,1 rt'rtt.ttttt,t. I 0. Scctior-r 1 I of the Act rcacls as follorn's 77, Testing laboratory jor nicotine attd. ta.r contents: Fc;r ptLry:toses of tesllng t.he rLicotine a.nd. 1..1t' contents in c:i11ctrt,tlr,:; o ncl ctn.L1 other tobacco product s the Centra.l Oour:r'rtnrartt shall bry rrcliJ-rcaLior-t irt the ().lficia.l GazeLte qra.tTt t ('oqnitiort tct suclt Lesting laborr'tory as that Co uern rt t r:t t.l. nla.t1 deetrt n.rcessarq. I I - Sectior-r 12 of the Act deals with Pou,er ol entry and search, u'hich rcads a.s under .) "(1) Any police officer, not belotu the rank of a sub-inspector or anlJ officer of State Food or Drug Administratioft or anA other ofJicer, holding the equiualent rank being not belotu tlrc rank of Sub- [n.spector of Police, authorise side bg the Centrctl Gouernment c-tr bg the State Gouernment may, if he has crrty reason to suspect that any prouision of this Act hcts beet4 or is being, contrauened, enter and search in the ntanner prescibed, at anA recLsonable time, ang factory, building, buslness premises or (lna other place"

12. Section i3 ol the Act reads as under "Power to Seize (1) If any police officer, not below the rank of o sub-inspeclor or anA officer of State Food or Dntg Admin.istration or ana other officer, holdtng the equiualent rarLk being not belou.) the rank of Sub Inspector of Police, authortsed by the CentraL Gouernntent or bg the State Gouernment, has anA reason to belieue that,-- (a) in respect of any package of cig arettes or anA other tobacco products, or (b) in respect of anA aduertisement of cigarettes or anlJ oth.er tobacco products, the prouisions of this Act haue been, or are being, contrauened, he may seize such package or aduertisement mateial in the manner prescribed. (2) No package of cigorettes or anA other tobacco products or adueflisement mateial seized under clause (a) of sub-section (1) shall be retained by the offcer who seized the package or aduertisement material for a period exceedirLg ninetg days from the date of the seizure unless the approual of the Distict Judge, tuithin the locat limits of uLnse juisdiction such seizure tuas made, has been obtained for such retention."

13. Section 7 of the Act stipulates label on any tobacco products with specified warning. The petitioner nowhere made submissions to the extent of hookah tobacco contents that would be served to ffiEli customers. The petitioner intencis to supply o hookah ii.jthout an1' brand or 1abel, whi:h is against the provisior-r s of Se ctlor-r 7 of the Act. Tl-rat apart , if the petitioner is allowed to rrrix any producl by whichever tlame it is called generallv, r-cf,:rrcd as flavottred hookah, r'r'ithout anv approvais and r,r,hethr:r- the nicotine and other contcnts ere perrmissible and such flavorrred hookah if perrnitted by the pr:titiorLer to serve to their customt:rs, the quality checks gocs u'rr:hecked. As such permission to serve flavoured hookah is reqtrircd t.o be obtained from the coml)ctcnt authoritl'

1.4. Tl-ris Court in similar circumstanccs disposed of the writ pctition in W.P.No.24 155 of 2025 dated 2)..OB.rl,O25 arrd the operative portior-r of the said ordcr reads as under " 19. Recordinq the -subnuisslon nrade by the learned cotntsel appea.rutg on either :;tde ctnd in. terms of Comnton order dated 1 5. 1 1 .2023 in W.P.No.8223 of 2013 and batch, this tutit petition is disposed of leauitg it open to the respondent authori.tie s to p.lss appropnate ord<t's on the represerttcttions ntade by the petitioner tc respondent authorities on 09.06.2025, 13.06.2)25 and 05.07.2025 and pass appropriate orders, ,n terms of the contrnon order passed b11 th.is Cou.rt on 15.11.2023 and cts per the prouisions of CO'|P Act, the petitioner man,t workout appropriate 'emecl.ies as auaiLable under laut in the pending Cr.l'1o.1'138 of 2025 I I i i f; q t I : ! t I a 7

20. Accordingly, this LUit petition is disposed of"

15. l'his Court in thc above s'rit petition also referred to W.P.No.8223 ol 2013 ancl batch dated 15.1i.2023 and thc opcrative portion is extractecl hcrcin for reference .24. In uietu o.f th.e ctboue discussion, this Court is oJ the opinion that imposing of cerlain conditions to tun the Hookah Cen.tres LDould meet the ends of justice. i) As Charcoal is being used for seruing hookah irt the Hookah Centres, the petitioners shall obtain licence front the Municipal Corporation as specified under Section 52 1(1 )(b) of Greater Hgderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955. ii) Since the Hyderabad Citg PoLice Act, 1348 tras1i conJbrs poLuer ouer the amusement Centres/ restaurants uthich crre deJined as "public place" under the COT-P Act and as per Rule 4 of the Prohibition of Smokirtgl in Publlc Places Rules, 2O0B permission is required specifying smoking area. 'fhereJbre, to establish hookah centres, the petitioners shall obtain necessary permission from the concerned authoritg under the proulsiorzs of the Citg Police Act. iii) The Hookah Centres are prohibited from seruing ang tobacco product to the persons below the age of eighteen-gears. Pictoial health-warning labels at the entrance must be disPlaged. tu) The respondents-police are at ib"rty to superuise and inspect the Hookah Centres, for ong E uiolatiot, ol- ru.Les ancl regulaLions, trt,ide!.ittes or circuLor:; i.s.srzed under the pror.,lsl lrs of th.e lTt1clc:rabarl Cittl Police Act, 1348 Fasli. u) ll'tlrcrc' is arttl uiolat.i.on of the pr. l"siorts of th.c COTl) r\ c:l urtcl tht: Rrrlcs ntade titL,e'untler, Lh.e reslto r t cl<, nL:;- 1:tolic:et are at. libeflg to tcth', oppropnctte eclion u\ 1x:r the prouisions of the CO'|'P , trt.' 1{r. Acco:-dirrgh', tl-iis u'rit petition IS dispos,:cl of in terms ol or-ders prrssc:<i rn W.['.No.24155 of 2025 dat,:d 2'2.O8.2025 and W.l'].No.8223 ol 20 13 arrrl batcl'r dated 1:- ' 1 .2023, granting lil;crty to t1-rt-- petiLit)ncr to file an application '.r'ithin a periocl of olle (1) u'cck lrorn the date of recelpt of a c(,lr_\' of this order to rcspondent authorities seeking permission to s.:rve Ilavoured hookah anrl it is lcft open to the respondent authoritres to pass al)propriatc ordcrs on the zrpplicatior-r. if r rv made by the pr:titioner in lcrms of thc alorementionecl or( ers passcd by this Clor-rrt and ars pcr- the provisions o[ COTP A. t lt is made clear that, it is lor- the respor-rdent authorities ti ) pass appropriate or-clers for granting permission strictlv in accc r,lant:e u,ith la'r.r'. It is needless to state that the respondent autlrc,ritie s shall follow due procedurc AS contemplated under lau, b:Iore initiating ar-ry ar:tion against the petitioner I 'ii j t I I i I I I I I 9 17 . Accordingly, this writ petitior-r is ciisposed of. Miscellaneous applications, if an1, pending, shall stand closed. There sha1l be no order as to costs, Sd .S.MALLIKARJUNA R SSISTANT REG R //TRUE COPY// SECTION OFFICER To,

1. The Principal Secretary Home Department, Secretariat, The State of Telangana, Hyd erabad.

2. The Director General of Police, Telangana, Lakdikapool Polrce Head Quarters Hyderabad.

3. The Commissioner oF Police, Cyberabad. 4. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajendranagar, Cyberabad. 5. The Station House Officer, Narsingi Police Station SOT Police Station, Rajendranagar Ranga Reddy District.

6. One CC to SRl. MOHD ASIFUDDIN, Advocate [OPUC] 7 Two CCs to GP FOR HOfi,4E ,High Court for the State of Telangana. [OUTI 8. Two CD Copies PMK HIGH COURT DATED:0711A12025 ORDER WP.No.30328 of 2025 1 HE j.i rA 16r Y J c o a 21il0rt u 2 o i .a+ o E .S rr r.,- i\Eo I DISPOSlNG OF THE WRIT PETITION WITHOUT COSTS