Karnataka High Court
Gandhi Bazar Citizen Institute (R) vs The State Of Karnataka on 3 January, 2024
Author: M.Nagaprasanna
Bench: M.Nagaprasanna
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NC: 2024:KHC:243
WP No. 28452 of 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU
DATED THIS THE 3RD DAY OF JANUARY, 2024
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA
WRIT PETITION NO. 28452 OF 2023 (GM-POLICE)
BETWEEN:
GANDHI BAZAR CITIZEN INSTITUTE (R),
NO 339/6-1, MYSORE ROAD,
KUVEMPUNAGAR, BENGALURU - 560 026,
REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY SRI. KARTHIK,
SON OF LATE NARAYANARAJU P,
REGISTERED UNDER KARNATAKA SOCITIES
REGISTRATION ADCT, 1960
...PETITIONER
(BY SRI. JEEVAN KUMAR B.S, ADVOCATE)
AND:
1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA,
REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY,
Digitally signed by HOME DEPARTMENT, VIDHANA SOUDHA,
PADMAVATHI B K
Location: HIGH
BANGALORE - 560 001.
COURT OF
KARNATAKA
2. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
BENGALURU CITY POLICE,
INFANTRY ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 001.
3. THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE,
BYATARAYANAPURA POLICE STATION,
BYATARAYANAPURA MYSORE ROAD,
BANGALORE, KARNATAKA - 560 026.
...RESPONDENTS
(BY SRI. MANJUNATH, HCGP)
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WP No. 28452 of 2023
THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO DIRECT THE
RESPONDENT NOT TO INSIST THE PETITIONER FOR
OBTAINING LICENSE AND ALSO FROM INTERFERING WITH THE
SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE SKILL GAMES SUCH AS CULTURAL
AND SPORTS SUCH AS RUMMY, CAROM, CHESS, DARTGAME,
POKER , COIN GAMES, TABLE TENNIS, BILLIARDS/SNOOKERS
AND ALL INDOOR GAMES BEING RUN UNDER THE NAME AND
STYLE OF GANDHI BAZAR CITIZEN INSTITUTE AT NO.339/6-1,
MYSORE ROAD, KUVEMPUNAGAR, BANGALORE-560026.
THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY
HEARING, THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING:
ORDER
Heard Sri. Jeevan Kumar B.S., learned counsel appearing
for the petitioner and Sri. Manjunath, learned HCGP appearing
for the respondents.
2. The petitioner is before this Court, seeking for the
following prayers:
"a. Direct the respondents not to insist the petitioner
for obtaining license and also from interfering with
the smooth running of the Skill Games such as
Cultural and Sports such as rummy, carom, chess,
dartgame, Poker, coin games, table tennis,
billiards/snookers and all indoor games being run
under the name and style of Gandhi Bazar Citizen
Institute at No.339/6-1, Mysore Road,
Kuvempunagar, Bangalore - 560 026.
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b. Consequently, for a direction in the nature of Writ
of Mandamus restraining the Respondents from
interfering with the smooth running of the Skill
Games such as Cultural and Sports such as
rummy, carom, chess, dartgame, Poker, coin
games, table tennis, billiards/snookers and all
indoor games being run under the name and style
of Gandhi Bazar Citizen Institute at No.339/6-1,
Mysore Road, Kuvempunagar, Bangalore-560 026.
c. Pass such other orders as this Hon'ble Court
deems fit to pass in the circumstances of the case
and in the interest of justice and equity."
3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner
would submit that the issue in the lis stands covered by the
judgment rendered by the Co-ordinate Bench in the case of
M/S NAVARANG ASSOCIATION Vs. THE STATE OF
KARNATAKA1, the Co-ordinate Bench has held as follows:
"Learned Government Advocate to accept notice
for respondents No.1 to 7 and file memo of appearance
in four weeks.
2. The petitioner is before this Court seeking for issue
of mandamus or any other appropriate writ in the
manner as has been sought in the petition. The issue
which has been raised in the instant petition has already
been considered by this Court in W.P.No.30071/2014
dated 15-10-2014 (between The Media N. Members Club
vs. State of Karnataka and Others) wherein the petition
was disposed of with the following directions:-
"(i) The petitioner shall install within a period
of six weeks, CC TV cameras, at all the
places of access to its members and also at
all the places, wherein games(s) is / are
W.P.No.38068/2015 disposed on 09.09.2015
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played by the members. The CC TV footage
of at least prior 15 days' period shall be
made available by the petitioner, to the
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
police, during the raid(s) and surveillances
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 police find that
game(s) played is contrary to any law and in
violation of the settled practice, it is open to
them to take action against 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
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carried on by the members of the petitioner -
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 are found to
have indulged in any unlawful or immoral
activities."
This writ petition is also disposed of in the
aforesaid terms."
4. In the light of the issue standing covered by
judgment rendered by the Co-ordinate Bench and the facts
being undisputed, the petition stands disposed on the same
terms.
Sd/-
JUDGE
JY
CT: BHK
