IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) TUESDAY, THE THIRTIETH DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MS JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO : 4852 of 2008 Between: M/S Navipet Mahodaya Club, Navipet a Society regd.under the provisions of the A.P. Societies Registration Act 1967, Rep by its Secretary Ch.Bhuma Rao S/o.Linga Rao, aged 58 occ. Business R/o.Navipet Town and Mandal, Nizamabad Dist., ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The Superintendent of Police, Nizamabad District, Nizamabad. 2 The Circle Inspector of Police(Rural) Nizamabad District, Nizamabad. 3 The Station House Officer, Navipet Police Station, Navipet Mandal, Nizamabad. .....RESPONDENT(S) Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Aﬃdavit ﬁled herein the High Court will be pleased to issue any appropriate Writ, Order or Direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the respondents in interfering with the lawful activity of the petitioner club including playing the game of Rummy by the members of the petitioner club in the card room as being illegal ,arbitrary, without jurisdiction and consequently direct the respondents not to interfere with the lawful activities of the petitioner club including playing the game of Rummy by the members of the petitioner club in the card room and not to harass the members of the petitioner club. Counsel for the Petitioner : MR. B.H.R.CHOWDARY Counsel for the Respondents : GP FOR HOME The Court made the following : THE HON’BLE Ms. JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION NO.4852 OF 2008 ORDER : The petitioner seeks a Writ of Mandamus declaring the alleged action of the respondents in not permitting the petitioner Association to allow its members to play the game of Rummy as arbitrary and illegal. Heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner as well as the learned Government Pleader for Home appearing for the respondents. It is brought to my notice by the learned Counsel for both the parties that in similar circumstances, a Division Bench of this Court has clariﬁed the legal position in this regard in its judgment in W.A.No.1167 of 2002, dated 29-07-2002. The relevant portion may be extracted hereunder : “The police authorities cannot obstruct the writ petitioner-Club from conducing card room where the members and guests of the writ petitioner’s cultural center are allowed to play the game of rummy with stakes/syndicate (thirteen card game). At the same time, we make it clear that the police are always at liberty to enter the premises and check as to whether the cultural center of the Club is conducting card room where the members and guests of petitioner’s cultural center are playing the game or rummy with stakes / syndicate (thirteen card game), for the purpose of veriﬁcation. If they receive intimation, police may enter the Club and verify the same and proceed further if the members and guests of Writ Petitioner’s cultural center play other than the game of rummy with stakes / syndicate (thirteen card game). The police authorities are also at liberty to proceed with the cases, which are already registered.” Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and in the light of the above judgment of the Division Bench, the Writ Petition is disposed of in terms of the directions given in the judgment in W.A.No.1167 of 2002, dated 29-07-2002. However, it is made clear that the respondents are at liberty to take appropriate action against the members of the petitioner Association if they promote illegal activity at the premises of the petitioner Association. No costs. ______________ G. ROHINI, J. Dt. 30-09-2008. gbs