Telangana HC grants conditional permission to run hookah parlours

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Friday granted conditional permission to run hookah parlours and directed the police not to harass the owners of such parlours. The High Court issued the above orders while disposing of a writ petition filed by Habeeb Abu Bakr Al-Hamid, owner of Prestigious Lounge Hookah & Café, Chandrayangutta, Hyderabad.

The High Court, in its order, said under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, commonly known as the COPTA Act 2003, there is no need to obtain a separate license to run hookah parlours. But according to the same law, in case of restaurants and cafeterias with a capacity of more than 30, the owners of the restaurants can allow consumers to smoke in a separate corner.

Restaurant owners who have separate areas for smoking and hookahs should report the same to the station house officer so that they can keep a check on the activities carried out in the allotted area and see if there is any violation under the law and if the business is being conducted in adherence of the rules and procedures.

However, the police should not harass the operators of such parlours. In case of any abuse by the police, it should be brought to the notice of the higher authorities and they should investigate it and take appropriate action.

The court, however, said it cannot instruct competent authorities not to enter the hookah parlours to inspect them.