Allahabad High Court Bans Hookah Bars in Uttar Pradesh Restaurants
· India · Hindustan Times, Zee News
The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow Bench ruled that hookah bars operating within restaurants in Uttar Pradesh are illegal and prohibited. The court dismissed writ petitions from restaurant owners who argued that their designated smoking areas were compliant with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act. Judges observed that hookah smoking requires commercial service, including the preparation and supply of coal and flavours at the table, which violates the 2017 amendment to the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules. These rules mandate that designated smoking areas must be separate enclosures where customers smoke independently without any service. The judgment clarifies that authorities may now take legal action against any restaurant providing hookah services.
Why it matters
This ruling establishes a clear legal precedent across Uttar Pradesh, forcing restaurants to shut down hookah services to avoid penalties and potential closure.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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