IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA WRIT PETITION NO : 924 of 2009 Between: The Town Hall Recreation Club, Bearing Registration No. 248/07 represented by its Secretary, Ch.Laxmi Narayana S/o. Late Krishna Rao # 11-9-32/4, Koteswara Swamy Ward, Srikakulam Town and District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The Government of Andhra Pradesh, represented by its Secretary, Department of Home and Law, Secretariat, Hyderabad. 2 The Superintendent of Police, Srikakulam District. 3 The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Srikakulam Division, Srikakulam District. 4 The Circle Inspector of Police, I Town Police Station, Srikakulam, Srikakulam District. 5 The Sub-Inspector of Police, I Town Police Station, Srikakulam, Srikakulam District. .....RESPONDENTS 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 one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus, declaring the action of the respondents and more particularly the 5th respondent in interfering 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 as illegal, arbitrary, without jurisdiction and contrary to the Law laid down by the Hon'ble Constitutional Courts and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India, and consequently direct the respondents particularly the 5th respondent not to interfere with the lawful activities of the petitioner club including playing the game of Rummy by the members of the petitioner club situated at 11-9-32/4, Koteswara Swamy Ward, Srikakulam Town & District and pass such other or orders. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.G.RAJA BABU Counsel for the Respondent No.: GP FOR HOME The Court made the following : ORDER: The petitioner-club seeks a direction to the respondents in particular the 5th respondent not to interfere with the lawful activities of the petitioner-club including playing of the game of Rummy by its members in the card room. The petitioner is a registered society functioning as a Club with several objects. The petitioner asserts that its members play the game of Rummy, a game of skill in the card room, which is not game of gambling, but a game of chance. In view of the decision of the Supreme Court in the State of Andhra Pradesh v. K. Satyanarayana1, the pursuit of the game of Rummy in a card room in a licensed club does not offend the law. However, the petitioner alleges the 5th respondent is regularly coming to the premises of the petitioner-club and threatening the members and also committee members and preventing the playing of game of Rummy and hence the writ petition. It is also stated that in similar circumstances, this Court has disposed of several writ petitions directing the respondents not to interfere with the lawful activities of the petitioners clubs therein, which is not disputed by the learned Government Pleader. However, the learned Government Pleader for Home submits that the respondents including the 5th respondent shall not prevent the members of the petitioner-club from pursuing their legitimate game of Rummy, but are entitled to periodically visit the petitioner-club premises to ensure that no untoward or illegal activities are pursued in the club premises. In the light of the submission made on behalf of the respondents by the learned Government Pleader for Home, the writ petition is disposed of directing the respondents not to interfere with the lawful activities of the petitioner-club or its members including playing of the game of Rummy. Respondent Nos. 3 to 5 are however at liberty to periodically visit the petitioner-club premises to ensure that no illegal activities are pursued in the petitioner-club. The writ petition is accordingly disposed of. No costs. _________________ N.V.RAMANA,J Dated: 03.2.2009 msv 1 AIR 1968 SC 823