IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF JANUARY 2019 BEFORE THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ALOK ARADHE WRIT PETITION NO.400 OF 2019 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN:
The Challakere Town Association Society Reg Under Karnataka Societies Registration Act (Regn No.1930/58-59) Rep.by its Secretary, B.S.Shivaputra S/o Shadakasharappa, Challakere Town.
… Petitioner (By Sri. Spoorthy Hegde Nagaraja, Advocate) AND:
1. The Government of Karnataka Home Department, Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru-560 001.
2. The Commissioner of Police, Infantry Road, Bengaluru-560 001.
3. The Superintendent of Police, Chitradurga District, Chitradurga-577 501.
4. Circle Inspector of Police, Challakere Circle, Challakere, Chitradurga District - 577 222.
5. Sub Inspector of Police, Challakere Police Station, Challakere, Chitradurga District-577 222. (By Sri. Vijay Kumar A Patil, AGA) … Respondents This Writ Petition is filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, praying to direct the respondents not to interfere in the day to day recreational activities carried by the petitioner association at the petitioners premises and not to insist upon the petitioner to obtain the license to carry on lawful activities in the premises of the petitioner’s association either under the Police Act or under the provisions of Licensing and Controlling of Place of Public Amusement order and not to interfere in the play of skill oriented games like Rummy, Chess, Snooker, Billiards and Carom etc., which are the games of skill as held by this Hon’ble Court in various writ petitions.
This Petition coming on for Preliminary Hearing, this day, the Court made the following:-
ORDER Sri. Spoorthy Hegde Nagaraja, learned counsel for the petitioner.
Sri. Vijay Kumar A. Patil, learned AGA for the respondents.
Petition is admitted for hearing. With the consent of the parties, it is heard finally.
2. In this petition, petitioner interalia seeks a direction to the respondents not to interfere in the day to day recreational activities carried by the petitioner- association at the petitioner’s premises and not to insist upon the petitioner to obtain the licence to carry on lawfull activities in the premises of the petitioner’s association.
3. When the matter was taken up today, learned counsel for the parties submit that the impugned order in the writ petition is squarely covered by an order dated 22.02.2016 in W.P.No.101799/2016.
4. In view of the aforesaid submissions and with a view to maintain parity, writ petition is disposed of with the following conditions:
(i) The petitioner shall install CC TV cameras at the places of access to its members and also at all the places, wherein game(s) is / are played by the members within a period of six weeks. The CC TV footage of atleast prior 15 days’ period shall be made available by the petitioner to the jurisdictional police, as and when called upon to do so.
(ii) The petitioner shall issue identity card(s) to all its member(s), which shall be produced by the member(s), when called upon by the concerned police, during the raid(s), survelliance, etc.
(iii) The petitioner shall not allow any non-member(s) or the guest(s) of the member(s), to make use of its premises for the purpose of playing any kind of game(s) or recreational activities.
(iv) The petitioner shall not permit any activity by any of its member(s), by indulging in acts of amusement, falling within the definition of Ss.2(14) & 2(15) of the Act and shall not permit any game(s) of chance as per Explanation (II) of Sub-section (7) of Section 2 of Karnataka Police Act, 1963. The member(s) shall not be allowed to play any kind of game(s) with stakes or make any profit or gain out of the game(s) played.
(v) The petitioner shall put proper mechanism in place and shall ensure that no game(s) is played in any unlawful manner by the member(s). If the jurisdictional police find the game(s) played is/are contrary to any law and in violation of the settled practice, it is open to them to take action against the petitioner and the offenders, in accordance with law.
(vi) The jurisdictional police shall have liberty to visit premises periodically and/or on receipt of any information about any unlawful activity being carried on in the petitioner’s premises.
(vii) The respondents are directed not to interfere with the lawful recreational activities carried on by the members of the petitioner’s – Club/Association.
(viii) It is made clear that this order would not come in the way of the jurisdictional police invoking the provisions of the Act and taking action in accordance with law, if the member(s) of the petitioner is/are found to have indulged in any unlawful or immoral activities.
No order as to costs.
Sd/- JUDGE Mds/-