The High Court · 2025

the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court ma I be pleased to direct theRespondentsnottointerferewiththebusinessactivitiesr,flhePetitionerbeing runinthenameandStyleaS''V|AMoKA..situatedatSy,lJcr,22214and22217' GOVT Janwada, JANWADA, SHANKARPALLE' RANGARE) )Y and also not to harass the Petitioner in any manner by considering the Petit otler's representation dated 07.10.2025, pending disposal of main Writ Petition Counsel for the Petitioner : SRI HABEEB ABUBAKAR ALFAMEO Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR HOME The Court made the following: ORDER .\ THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V.SHRAVAN KUMAR WRIT PETITION No.34l1L of 2025 ORDER Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Assistant Government Pleader lor Home appearing for respondents. With their consent this r'vrit petition is taken up for disposal at the admission stage itself.

2. This u,rit petition is filcd sccking follou'ing prayer:- " declaring the action of the Respondents and their subordinates interfenngl into the buslness actiuities of the Petitioner uithout follouing due process of law as illegal, arbittarg , discnminatory, uiolatiue of Article t 4, 1 9( 1)(g) of the Constitution consequently direct the Respondents and their subordinates not to intetfere with the business actiuities of the Petitioner being run in the name and style as 'VIAMOKA' situated at Sg.No-222/4 and 2r2/7, Gout Januada, Jantuada, Shankarpalle, Ranga Reddg Distnct (subject prernises)...." .

3. The facts of the case in brief as stated are that petitioner claims to be owner of a cal6 uiz., VIAMOKA'located in the subject premises. It is submitted the said caf6 is cove.red with CCTV Cameras and smoking area is separate from general caf6 space and that petitioner possess atl the licenses such as trade, food and labour licenses. It is further- submitted that respondent Police are not allowing the petitioner to operate smoking area in the subject cal6. In this regarcl, petitioner has submitted ) representation to rcspondent authorities on 07.1O.2025 seeking permission to operate smoking area in the subjr::1 ca[e. Horvever, .,1 respondent authorities have not considered tlr. same till date. Questioning thc same the present writ petitio. ir, rircd. Lear-.ed counsel for the petitioner submits that this Corn urtle common order dated 15.11.2023 in W.p.No.8223 of 2l l3 and batch, passed the foliowing order:- u) "24. In uieu..t of the aboue discussion, this ('o,-trl is of the opinion that imposing of certain cond.itrr rr s lo rrln the Hookah Centres u,tould meet the ends oJ.1,.t.;tic,:. r) As Charcoal is being used. for seruing tt.,oktth in the Hookah Centres, the petitioner-s sltuil obtain Licence J'rom the Municipal Corpot oiiort as specified under Sectiort 52 I (l )(b) o,' Gr,:oter Hgclerabad Municipal Corporation Act, ltt55. Since the Hyderabad Citg police Act, t.l.l8 F-cLsli confe rs power ouer al,t)Lsenlent Centres/ restaurants uhich are de ti.,ted as "public place" under the COTp Act at c, os per Rule 4 of the Prohibition of Smoltintl i,t ptLttlic Pla<:e s Rules, 2O0B permission r.s ,.eqrirecl spec{ging smokinq area. Therefore, to c.stoblish hookah centres, the petitioners shr,ll ol;tain necessarA permissiort from the ttttcerned autLtontg under the prouisions of the (.irt1 p< ice Act. The Hookah Centres are prohibiteci fnnt ser uirLq any tobacco product to the persons l,r:tou. the ?ge oI eighteen gears. Hctoial hectlt j uot turLg labe'ls at the entrance must be d_isplaqe l. The respondents-police are at lrttt:rtg to superuise and inspect the Hookah Ct,t,res, lbr any uioLation of rules and regulations. c,rt,deltnes or circrtlars lssued under lhe prouisi,, t: ol'the Hyderctbad Citg Police Act, l34B Fasli. If thcre is ang uiolation of the prouisic,,r t:; o S ,n COT'P Act and the Rules made therert.t,lei, the respond.ents police ere ot libertg l, t rii) iu) u) / appropiate action as per the prouisions of the COTP Act.

25. Subject to fulftlling the aboue conditions and also the prouistons of COTP Ac| the respondents-police are directed not to interfere uith the busiiess actiuitg of the petitioners for running Hookah Centres. If the police are found to act in a highhanded manner, the ou.)ners of the Hookah Centres are at Libefty to bing the same to the notice of the Director General of Police/ Commissioner of Police, as directed bg this Court in Wit Petition No.32O2 of 2014 and batch, in uthich euent the said authoitg shall forthtuith take necessarA steps in that regard. 26. Accordinglg, all these Writ Petitions are disposed ol.

4. The case of the petitioner is that though it has obtained all necessary permission from various authorities to run its business ald inspite of the common order dated 15-11.2023 passed in W.P.No.8223 of 2013 and batch, the respondent No.5 is interfering in the business and is not allowing the petitioner to provide hookah in its shop t

5. Learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home, on instructions, submits that appropriate ordcrs u'ould be passed to that effect

6. Heard both sides. Perused the record.

7. On a perusal of the COTP Act, 2O03, Sub-clauses (b), (k) and (n) o[ Section 3: Definitions, reads as under: _-/ \ .1 "(lt) r'it 1ct r t'llt: ittcludas, (i) attq rol.l of tobacco u)repl)e(L ut pup('r or irt ttrttl oll'tar substetTcc not contaitintl tr ltcrccct, (it) ctttu roll ol' t.obctccct 11,)rctpp,'r.' ut tttttl .srr/r.s1rtrrc<; contctirtinc1 t.obctcco, tulti.ch. I'tI r.o.son ol' il:: ct 1t1tc-.crra nce, tltc, tt11tc of lobrtt , , ' r.1:.t'(.1 in llt,' lill.er, or its pacltaclirtcl and labellitrt, is /i/tcl.tl to lv ofli't'ed to, or y.tu rcltascd. bq, colr.s //r?(,f'.s .r.s c:itlttrctte . l:tttt does rt.ot ttt.c:l.ude be(:tli, cllcroot crnrl ciqar, (k1 production, with its gramrnatical t ariLt.tiorts anrl coqnate expressions, includes the 'n akiq of cig aretkt s, cig ars, cheroots, beedis, cig arel't tob acco, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, chewing toot,cco, pan ntasala or anq chewing material ha uinq obac<:o as onet of i.ts ingredients (by whateuer n.am(' ':alled) or srtuff ar tl shall include-- (i) packing, labelling or re lob'tlLirtq, of cctnktiners; (ii) re packing from bulk packactc:; to retail packa.ges; an.d (iii) the adoption of anA oLher n, etLod to rendcr the tobacco product marketablt'; (n) snrcking, means smoking of tobato in ong fornt. wlrctlrcr in tlrc fornt of cigarette, cigat, beecl.is or othertuisc' ruith the aid of a pipe, u,trapper o' 'lnA other i.nstnt nu:rtt.s;" &

8. Seclion ,1 of the Act stipulates. prohibiti,rr L of smokir-rg in a public place. As per the State Amendment ol C,ujar-at, Section zlA I'ras bcen inserted rvhich is extracted hereunc c - for rcference: "P,'oniUition of noottan .--4A.Not*-ttI sta.ndinq antlth.in.q contained in this Act, no person shall, either on his outt or on" behalf of ang other persrtr , open or rutl ana hookah bar in ang place incLudin(l tLLe €'ating houst'. Expktn.atiott. - The term eating house -.LtaI[ haue the sonrc nteaning as assigned to it b11 cLau:;e (5A) of section 2 o.f the Gujarat Police Act, 1951 (Btt,t. XXll of 1951 t.' 5

9. Similarly the State of Maharashtra aiso inserted Section 4A as rvas inserted by State of Gu.1arat. 1 0. This Court has taken note of the above amendments carried out by other States in their respective statutes on the subject which may serve as useful guide

11. Section 6 of the Act refers to prohibition on sale of cigarette or other tobacco products to persons belos. the age of 1B years and in particular area.

12. Section 7 of the Act stipulates Restrictions on trerde and commerce in, and procluctior-r, suppl,r'' ancl clisLribrtLion of cigarettes and other tobacco proclucts. Sub Clauses of Sectiorr 7 are as fol lo',1,s a "7 (r).. . (2) No person shall carrA on Lrad.e or cotnnu'rce in ciqarettes or anA other tctl:,taccct products urtless euery package of cigarettes or anLl ot.her tobctcco pr,:.tducts sold, su.pplied or distributed bt1 him bectrs thereon, or on its labeL, the specifiecl u,arninq. (3) No person shall irnport ciqarettes or anq other tobacco products Jbr distribution or sttppLll Jbr c.t uaLuable corLsideratictrt cu' Ji>r sale in Indicr tutLess euery packaqe of ciqarettes or antt olher ktbacco products so imported bq hin bears thereon, or on its Itr hel, the specifierl tuLtrrtirttl. 4.... (5) No person sha11, clirectlLl or incl irectltl, prochrce:, suppltl or distribute ciqarettes or arlLJ cttlrc:r ktltctcco prodttcts unless euerq pucltcrcle of crqarelles ()r dt1ll t *l 6 othcr lttltoccrt products produced, sttl)ltlie(l ot clis[i[;ttl,: t41 hint indicates thereon, or ori ls iultel, tlre rticolint' attd tar contents on each ciqut.'t te )r os the (.osc ntrttl lte on other tobacco products 'tl'trtg tuith thc nrrtrirnr.t rrt penrtissible lirtits thereoJ': Proutclc'd (ttct.l lhe rticotine and tar contettl: ;lnll rtot cr<rccr1 t.ltt' rna-rinutrn permissible quan.titq tl 'creo.f os rrtcrrl lx'yttt'sotbed by nLles ntadc under t/ris.rrcf '

13. Scction l1 ol the Act reads as follows

17. Testing laboratory for nicotine and t<tr contents: For 7rttt7.,o.sr'.s of testirtgl the n icotin.e and tur' -'r'n lie ttls in t:itlctr<;l.lL's ttnc) ar47 oth.er tobacco products t h" (-t rtlrctl Octut'rttnt<'rtl shctll lttl ttotificution in the OJfit it'l (i'Lzt:tte c,lrattt rcrt;rlrtiticnt to su<:h Lestinq la.borato'Lr a.s that ( i o t ;t' t n t, t t' t t I n t r t q tl c tt nl llecc.ssary. 1 4. Sectior-r 1 2 of the Act deals with Por' r'r of e ntry and search, s,hich rcads as under: "(1) Ang potice officer, not belou-t lLt< 'ank of a sub-inspec:tor or anA officer of State F rtr a or Dntg Adrnitistration or anA other officer, hc,clittg the equiualent ratrk being not belou.t the rottl'u of Sub- Inspector of PoLice, authorise side bg th: CentraL Gouernnt.ent or bq the State Goiernmenl n ag. if he h.as anll teason to suspect that any prol)t;l)t7 of tltis Act hus been, or is being, contrauened. r'nter and search in the ntanner prescibed, at dn! r' asonable tinrc, ct n.11 -factory, building, business prerrtis r:s or anA other plact'"

15. Section 13 of the Act reads as under " Pouter to Seize (l) Il any police officer, not belou tl,e ratrk of a sub-irtspector or arlll officer of State Frt',ttl or Drug Acl.mint s t.ratio n or onA other officer, itcldirtg the equiualent rartk being not below the rott't of Sub' lnspect or of Police, authorised by l\i: tlentral l Gouernment or bg the State Gouernment, hos any reason lo belieue that, -- (a) in respect of any package of cigarettes or anA other tobacco products, or (b) in respect of any aduertisement of cigarettes or anA other tobacco products, the prouisions of this Act haue been, or are being, contrauened, he may seize such package or aduertisement material in the manner prescibed. (2) No package of cigarettes or anA other tobacco products or aduertisement material seized under clause (a) of sub-section (1) shall be retained bg the officer who seized the package or aduertisement material for a peiod exceeding ninetg dags from the dctte of the seizure unless the approual of the District Judge, within the local limits of u.those jurisd-ic\ion such setzure tuas made, has been obtained for such retention. " I 6. Section 7 of the Act stipulates label on any tobacco products rvith specified warning. The petitioner nowhere made submissions to the extent of hookah tobacco contents that rn,ould be served to their customers. The petitioner intends to suppl,v hookah without any brand or label, which is dgainst the pror.isions of Section 7 of the Act. That apart, if the petitioner is allor.l'ed to mix any product by whichever name it is called generally, referred as flavoured hookah, without.any approvals and s'hether the nicotine and other contents are permissible and such flavoured hookah if permitted by tl-re petitioner to serve to their customers, the quality checks goes unchecked. As such permission to serve flavoured hookah is required to be obtained from t l-re competent authority. --l

17. It is 1)('r-tincnt l-rerein to refer the orcl,'r' rrf this Cor-trt in W.P.No.B223 <'tl 2013 and batch dated 15.11.20'23 and the operative portion is extracted herein for refereltc:

24. ln. uieu., of the aboue discusslon. t ts Ccturt is of the c;pinion tha.t imposing of certain cc. n'7itto rts to ntn the Hookah Centres tuould meet tl'.e ertds oJ justrce. i) As Clrarcoal is being used for sert'tr:g hookah in the Hookah Centres, the petitioners shall <tbtain licen.ce from the Municipal Corporation o s spe'cified under Scction 52 1 ( 1)(b) of Greater Htlderabad Municipct I (-orporation Act, 1955. lr7 Srrrce tl'tc Hyderabad City PoLice ,'\ct., 1348 Fasli cortJbrs poLuer ouer the lt\usement Centres/ rL'staurants u.thich are defined c.s 'public place" uttcler th<: COTP Act and as per Rt Ll,:: 4 of the Prohibitictn of Snnking in Public Places Fules, 20OB pernissiort i-s required specifying smoking area. Therefore. to eslablish. hookah centres, th< ltetitioners shall. obtairt tlecessarA permission from thc ty:ncernecl authoritg undbr the prouisions of the CitA Ptl;.ce Act. i.ii) 'l'he Hr.;okah Centres are proh;.L,itecl front sentinq orttl tobcrcco product to the person; belotu the age of eighteen qears. Pictorial health-urtu .ning at the entr(1nce nLltst be displaged. labels iu) 'l'he rcspondents-police are at Libe'fty to superuise ond irtspect the Hookah Cenlr?r;, for ang uiolation of ntles and regulations, quiclelirrcs ot' circulars issuecl under the prouistc,r.s c,,f the Htlderobatl City Police Act, 1348 Fasli. <,ffi..€l- -- t'/ I u) tf there is any uiolation of the prouisions of the COTP Act and the Rules made thereunder, the respondents police are at liberty to take oppropnate action as per the prouisions of the COTP Act."

18. Recording the submission made by the learned counsel appearing on either side and in terms of common order dated

15.11.2023 in W.P.No.8223 of 2013 and batch, this writ petition is disposed of leaving it open to the respondent authorities to pass appropriate orders on the representation made by the petitioner to respondent authorities on 07.1O.2025 in terms of the common order and as per lhe provisions of COTP Act.

19. Accordingly, this writ petition IS disposed o l. Miscellaneous applications, if any pending, shall stand closed. No order as to costs SD/.MOHD. ISMAIL DEPUTY REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY// SECTION OFFICER To, Coinm issionerate Telangana State

1. The Principal Secretary, Home Department' Secretariat' The State of Telanoana. Hvderabad z if;f'i%?i ;ir.lo".ilT"pori"e, Cyberabad Commiss.ionerate, Telansana State ';i'i61;-.", -R-lender Nagar Division Cyberabad 3 Deoutv Commissioner "Jt-Foli"", Narsingi Division, Janwada Village - ffii;;; Snaniirparrv Mandal' Ranga Reddv TS' s00075 4. Assistant commissionJr 5 ii];'bi;i;; ii"ri"'otiiJJi,'i'r"94ir' 'r-'"*ida'Villase Mainroad' shankarpallv 6 The Special operaiiJi'"'ieam, (SoT) Ralendernagar' Cyberabad Commisdllonerate, Telanqana State ? 6;;'Cci;-siiL'uneErliAeuBAKAn AL.HAMED' Advocate [oPUC] - -. the Siate of Telangana. [OUT] 8 Two CCs to Gp FOR HdIitL" Hign 9. Two CD CoPies Mandal. RangareddY TS. 500075 -Courtloi , PVL HIGH COURT DATED:1111112025 ORDER WP.No.34111 of 2025 1 I c o L) , + o( iHE SrA Ie: 25 NO\l XE {' *o t sp.arcH .)F\ iE DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITION WITHOUT COSTS Ei'