- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 17TH DAY OF JUNE 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRADEEP SINGH YERUR WRIT PETITION NO. 103736 OF 2025 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN: VAISHNAVI SOCIAL CLUB RAMDURG, R/BY ITS PRESIDENT, LAKSHMAN S/O. MAHADEVAPPA KAMANNAVAR, AGE: 35 YEARS, OCC: BUSINESS, R/O. GODACHI ROAD, KATKOL, TQ: RAMDURG, DIST: BELAGAVI-591114. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VENKATESH M. KHARVI, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, R/BY ITS SECRETARY, HOME DEPARTMENT, VIDHAN SOUDHA, BENGALURU-01. 2. SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, BELAGAVI DISTRICT, BELAGAVI. 3. CIRCLE POLICE INSPECTOR, RAMDURG TALUK, DIST: BELAGAVI. 4. POLICE INSPECTOR, RAMDURG, TQ: RAMDURG, DIST: BELAGAVI. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. S.V. MAGADM, AGA) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE AN ORDER OR DIRECTION OR WRIT IN THE NATURE OF WRIT OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NOT TO INSIST UPON THE PETITIONER TO OBTAIN THE LICENSE TO THE PLAY OF CAROM, CHESS, RUMMY AND ETC IN ITS PREMISES. VIJAYALAKSHMI M KANKUPPI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA DHARWAD BENCH - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRADEEP SINGH YERUR) Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and learned AGA representing the respondents. 2. This petition is filed by the petitioner seeking writ of mandamus by way of direction to the respondents not to insist upon the petitioner to obtain license for playing skill games, indoor games like chess, carrom, rummy etc., and further direction to the respondents not to interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the petitioner club. 3. The petitioner is a social club under the name of Sri. Nandi Social Club, registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 vide registration No.DRBG/SOR/10740/2017-2018 dated 23.12.2017. Petitioner is running several sports activities to adults, children and other members of the Club to train the members exclusively for sports. It is the grievance of the - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 petitioner that the respondents started interfering with the affairs of the petitioner and orally asking the petitioner to stop the activities. Whereas, the respondents have given ultimatum and warning to close down the Club otherwise they would lock the premises for not obtaining license. Therefore, the petitioner is before this Court due to high handedness and arbitrary manner of the respondents in trying to coerce the petitioner not to run the sports activities in its Club. 4. Learned AGA for the respondents contends that no such coercion or force has been made to the petitioner Club to obtain license and sign any documents nor interfered with the activities of the petitioner Club. He further contends that respondents being the jurisdictional Police authorities are visiting to monitor whether any illegal or unlawful activities are being conducted in the petitioner’s Club. Apart from that there is no intention of the respondents either in coercing the petitioner from obtaining the license to those activities, which are not - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 required to be obtained by law, or in any other manner whatsoever. Hence, he contends that this petition is premature as no such order has been issued or given to the petitioner to obtain license or to shut down the premises run by the petitioner. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner relies on the judgment of this Court in the case of Blue Line Video Games Associates, Bangalore Vs. State of Karnataka and others reported in (2013) 2 KLJ 177. 6. Admittedly, petitioner Club is registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960. Having registered under the Societies Registration Act in accordance with law has been running certain activities in imparting sports activities to its members, entry is restricted to non-members of the Club. The members of the Club are involved in playing games as stated above. When the petitioner is not involved in conducting or running any unlawful, illegal activities in the Club, - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 respondents No.2 to 4 cannot insist upon obtaining license or permission for those games and sports activities for which no license is required under law. Of course, it is necessary for the petitioner to obtain license to run any of the activities/sports for which any license is prescribed under the law. 7. Learned counsel has also relied upon the judgment of this Court in the case of Kings Social Club Handigund Vs. State of Karnataka, in W.P.NO.105936/2022 dated 16.12.2022, wherein this Court in similarly situated circumstances has issued certain guidelines to the writ petitioner therein. Admittedly, on query, the petitioner's counsel submits that the entry is restricted only to the members of the Club by way of issue of identity cards and persons who are not members are not permitted to enter. Therefore, the contention of the petitioner that the respondents are insisting to obtain necessary license to run the activities in the Club or would have to close down the Club, is to be - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 seen from the angle of whether the petitioner is running illegal and unlawful activities and if no such activities are being run by the petitioner, petitioner is entitled to run the activities in the Club without any interference as per law. 8. The guidelines issued in paragraph No.2 of the above said order are as under: “(i) The petitioner shall install CC TV cameras at all 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 jurisdiction 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), surveillance, 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 games 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 jurisdiction police find that 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. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC-D:7744 WP No. 103736 of 2025 (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.” 9. Accordingly, I deem it appropriate to dispose of this writ petition with the above guidelines. The petition stands allowed accordingly. Sd/- (PRADEEP SINGH YERUR) JUDGE Kmv CT-MCK