Hookah bars cannot operate even in smoking zones, rules Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that hookah bars cannot operate in Uttar Pradesh, including within designated smoking areas. The court rejected arguments allowing restaurants to offer hookah through self-service or rental arrangements. It also upheld police enforcement powers under tobacco control laws.

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that hookah bars cannot operate in Uttar Pradesh, even inside designated smoking areas. The court held that restaurants and similar establishments cannot provide hookah services to customers, citing restrictions under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA), and the rules governing smoking in public places.

A bench comprising Justice Shekhar B Saraf and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary dismissed a batch of petitions challenging restrictions on hookah services. The court stressed that the right of non-smokers to breathe clean air in public places takes........

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