- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, AT DHARWAD DATED THIS THE 18TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI WRIT PETITION NO. 100972 OF 2026 (GM-POLICE) BETWEEN: MUTTURAJ RECREATION CLUB SURVEY NO. 95/A/1, PLOT NO. 5, R/O. HOLALU, TALUK HUVINAHADAGALI, DIST. VIJAYANAGAR 583217, REP./BY ITS PRESIDENT, HONNAPPA FAKIRAPPA MANNAGI, R/O. HOLALU, TALUK HUVINAHADAGALI, DIST. VIJAYANAGAR-583217. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VISHWANATH BHAT, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY HOME DEPARTMENT, VIDHAN SOUDHA, DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR VIDHI, BENGALURU 560001. 2. THE ASSISTANT REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AND OFFICER OF SOCIETIES REGISTRATION, SHREE M. D. PATRAVALI, BUILDING, NEAR RAILWAY STATION, MALAMADDI, DHARWAD 580007. YASHAVANT NARAYANKAR Digitally signed by YASHAVANT NARAYANKAR Date: 2026.02.19 12:32:53 +0000 - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 3. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE HOSPETE, VIJAYANAGAR DISTRICT-583 217. 4. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE HUVINAHADAGALI, DIST. VIJAYANAGAR 583 217. 5. THE CIRCLE POLICE INSPECTOR HUVINAHADAGALI POLICE STATION, HOLALU, TQ. HUVINAHADAGALI, DIST. VIJAYANGAR 583 217. 6. THE POLICE SUB-INSPECTOR, HOLALU HOLALU POLICE STATION, HOLALU, TQ. HUVINAHADAGALI, DIST. VIJAYAGNARA 583 217. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI.T. HANUMAREDDY, AGA) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO, A. ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS TO THE RESPONDENTS 3 TO 6 DIRECTING NOT TO INSIST UPON THE PETITIONER ASSOCIATION TO OBTAIN A LICENSE FOR PLAYING SKILL GAMES LIKE CHESS, DART GAMES, RUMMY, CAROM, VIDEO GAMES, ELECTRONIC AMUSEMENT GAMES AND DICE GAMES EITHER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF KARNATAKA POLICE ACT-1960 OR UNDER THE LICENSING AND CONTROLLING OF PLACE OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT ORDER OR PREVENT THE PETITIONER ASSOCIATION TO CONDUCT ITS LEGAL ACTIVITIES; B. PASS SUCH OTHER ORDER AS THIS HON’BLE COURT DEEMS FIT IN THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE, INCLUDING COSTS, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: THE HON'BLE SMT. JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 ORAL ORDER The present writ petition is filed seeking the following prayers: “a. Issue a Writ of Mandamus to the Respondents 3 to 6 directing not to insist upon the Petitioner Association to obtain a license for playing skill games like chess, dart games, Rummy, carom, video games, electronic amusement games and dice games either under the provisions of Karnataka Police Act-1960 or under the Licensing and controlling of place of public amusement order or prevent the Petitioner Association to conduct its legal activities; b. Pass such other order as this Hon’ble court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case, including costs, in the interest of justice and equity.” 2. It is the case of the petitioner/association that the petitioner/association is registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act and conducting games like Chess, dart games, rummy and carom, video games, electronic amusement games, dice games, and also conducting indoor and outdoor skill games etc., at rural and urban areas and other activities. It is submitted the authorities are insisting the petitioner/association to take licence under the Karnataka Police Act. It is stated that as per the judgment reported in ILR 1993 KAR 3357 in the case of - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 Rama Recreation Association Vs. Commissioner of Police, the Association cannot be compelled to obtain a license. It is submitted that this action of the respondents is high handed and in fact, in similar writ petition i.e., WP.No.100682/2025 dated 06.02.2025, wherein it was observed that in WP.No.12241/2018 dated 27.03.2018, a slew of directions are given to the respondents/Police. It is submitted that in similar lines, the present writ petition may be disposed of. 3. Learned Additional Government Advocate appearing for the respondents submits that as stated by the petitioner, they are not high handedly interfering with the activities. Even as per the directions that are issued in WP.No.12241/2018, the Police have a right to visit the premises, whenever there is information that illegal activities are taking place. 4. Having heard the learned counsels on either side, perused the entire material on record. According to the petitioner, the petitioner/Association is running skill games for its members and it need not obtain a licence under the provisions of the Karnataka Police Act, however the authorities are insisting for the same. The petitioner cannot stop the respondent/police - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 from entering into the premises. If the respondent/police want to take any action on any illegal activities, they have to follow the due procedure and then only the respondent/Police can take action. But high handedly they cannot stop the petitioner from conducting the activities of the association. In that view of the matter, in the light of order passed in WP.No.12241/2018, this Court is passing the following order: ORDER 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 are played by the members. The CC TV footage of at least 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 cards to all its members, which shall be produced by the members, when called upon by the police, during the raids and surveillance etc. iii. The petitioner shall not allow any non-member(s) or the guest(s) of the member(s), to make use of - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 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 members, by indulging in acts of amusement, falling within the definition of Sections 2(14) & 2(15) of the Act and shall not permit any games of chance as per Explanation (II) of Sub-section (7) of Section 2 of Karnataka Police Act, 1963. The members shall not be allowed to play any kind of games with stakes or make any profit or gain out of the games played. v. The petitioner shall put proper mechanism in place and shall ensure that no games are played in any unlawful manner by the members. If the jurisdictional police find that 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 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. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC-D:2482 WP No. 100972 of 2026 vii. The respondents are directed not to interfere with the lawful recreational activities carried on by the members of the petitioner/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 members of the petitioner is/are found to have indulged in any unlawful or immoral activities. ix. Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of. x. All I.As. in this petition shall stand closed. Sd/- JUSTICE LALITHA KANNEGANTI YAN CT: CNB List No.: 1 Sl No.: 16