- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 21ST DAY OF JANUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO.100293 OF 2026 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN: FRIENDS RECREATION SOCIAL CLUB NO.76, NEAR RAYANNA CIRCLE BEEDI, KHANAPUR, TQ. KHANAPUR, DIST. BELAGAVI, REP. BY ITS MEMBER, NAGESH S/O. YALLAPPA NAYKAR, AGE. 41 YEARS, OCC. SOCIAL SERVICE, R/O. ZANJAWAD K.G. VILLAGE, TQ. KHANAPUR, DIST. BELAGAVI-5911106. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. RAGHAVENDRA A.PUROHIT, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOME, VIDHAN SOUDHA, B.R. AMBEDKAR VEEDHI, BANGALURU-560001. 2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, BELAGAVI, DIST. BELAGAVI-590001. 3. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, BELAGAVI, DIST. BELAGAVI-590001. Digitally signed by VIJAYALAKSHMI M KANKUPPI Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 4. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, BAILHONGAL, TQ. BAILHONGAL, DIST. BELAGAVI-590001. 5. THE POLICE SUB INSPECTOR, NANDAGAD POLICE STATION, NANDAGAD, DIST. BELAGAVI-590001. 6. THE CIRCLE POLICE INSPECTOR, NANDAGAD, DIST. BELAGAVI-590001. 7. THE REGISTRAR OF DISTRICT SOCIETIES AND DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, BELAGAVI, TQ. AND DIST. BELAGAVI- 590001. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. GIRIJA S.HIREMATH, HCGP) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NO.3 TO 6 NOT TO INSIST UPON THE PETITIONER TO OBTAIN LICENSE FOR PLAYING SKILL GAMES INDOOR GAMES LIKE CHESS, CAROM, RUMMY, TABLE TENNIS, LONG TENNIS BILLIARDS, BADMINTON AND OUTDOOR GAMES SUCH AS TENNIS, TENNIQUITE, ATHLETICS, CRICKET ETC., AND ISSUE A DIRECTION DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NO.3 TO 6 NOT TO INTERFERE WITH DAY TO DAY FUNCTION AND ACTIVITIES OF THE PETITIONER IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND ETC.,. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI ORAL ORDER The present writ petition is filed seeking the following prayers: “ (i) Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents No.3 to 6 not to insist upon the petitioner to obtain license for playing skill games, Indoor games like Chess, Carom, Rummy, Table Tennis, Laun Tennis, Billiards, Badminton and Outdoor games such as Tennis, Tenniquite, Athletics, Cricket etc. ii) Issue a direction directing the respondent Nos.3 to 6 not to interfere with day-to-day function and activities of the petitioner in the interest of justice and equity. iii) To issue any other order, direction as deems fit in the circumstances of the case.” 2. The petitioner is a Social Club registered in the name and style ‘Friends Recreation Social Club’, which is registered under the provisions of the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960, dated 19.11.2025. It is stated that the Club conducts recreation activities such as, indoor games viz., Chess, Carom, Rummy, Skill Games, Table Tennis, Cross word and to train the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 members for sports. It is stated that the respondent Nos.3 to 6 have started interfering in the affairs of the petitioner's Club and orally asked the petitioner to stop the activities, as there is oral direction from the higher authorities. The petitioner had requested the police authorities not to interfere with the activities of the Club, as the activities are in accordance with law. It is stated that in identical matters, a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court had issued directions not to interfere with the affairs of the Club activities. It is stated that respondent Nos.3 to 6 have instructed the petitioner to close down the Club and lock the premises. The petitioner approached the Superintendent of Police and requested to issue direction to the concerned police officials not to interfere with the affairs of the petitioner’s Club. It is further stated that the police authorities high-handedly and illegally are interfering with the day-to-day affairs of the Association and causing embarrassment and harassment to the petitioner and its members. Now, the petitioner seeks a similar order as that is passed in WP No.104309/2025. 3. Learned HCGP appearing for the respondents submits that as per the order passed in batch of writ petitions, whereby the jurisdictional police have the liberty to visit the premises - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 periodically and on receipt of any information about any unlawful activities being carried on in the premises and there is a direction that the respondents are directed not to interfere with the lawful recreational activities carried on by the members of the Club/Association. Further, the Court made it clear that the 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 members of the petitioner/Club are found to have indulged in any unlawful or immoral activities. It is submitted that the respondents/Police are not at all interfering with the activities as stated by the petitioner, they have not asked them to close down the activities. It is further submitted that as per the order passed by this Court and as per the guidelines issued in the said judgment, the respondents/police have every liberty to visit the premises to see whether any unlawful activities are going on or not, except that they are not interfering with the activities. 4. Having heard the learned counsel on either side, perused the material on record. The petitioner in the present writ petition without even mentioning what is the interference by the respondents, is seeking an order from this Court as it is passed - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 in the identical matters. The respondents are always at liberty to inspect the premises of the petitioner, even as per the earlier order passed in WP No.104309/2025. The petitioner cannot object for the same. As per the instructions of the learned HCGP, respondent Nos.3 to 6 are not interfering with any of the activities nor they have asked them to close down the premises as stated in the writ petition. Further, respondent Nos.3 to 6 have every right to visit the premises as to find out whether any illegal activities are carried out. In that view of the matter, recording the submission of the learned HCGP that the respondents Police are not interfering with the activities of the Club, this Court is passing the following: ORDER i) The respondents shall not interfere with the day-to-day activities of the petitioner’s Club without valid reason. ii) The respondents/police are always at liberty to visit the petitioner's premises if any illegal activities are carried out. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:703 WP No. 100293 of 2026 iii) Accordingly, the present writ petition is disposed of. iv) All I.As. in this writ petition shall stand closed. Sd/- JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI JTR CT: UMD List No.: 1 Sl No.: 73