Krishnaraja Sports Club (R) Vs the State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

Krishnaraja Sports Club (R) Vs the State of… — Writ and Judicial Review | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of: respondents-police directed not to interfere with the lawful recreational activities of the petitioner-club's members, subject to conditions — installation of CC TV cameras within six weeks with 15-day footage availability to police, issuance of member identity cards, no games of chance or amusement under Ss.2(14) & 2(15) and S.2(7) Expl. (II) Karnataka Police Act 1963 and no stakes except games of skill; police retain liberty to visit premises and to act against unlawful or immoral activities in accordance with law.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents-police can be restrained by mandamus from insisting that the petitioner-club obtain a licence under the Karnataka Police Act or the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Amusement enactment for indoor skill games, and from interfering with the club's lawful recreational activities.

Court's answer

The writ petition is disposed of with directions, in the light of the principles laid down by the Division Bench in D.V.R Recreation Club and the consistent view taken by this Court in subsequent matters.

Ratio / Principle

Petitioner shall install CC TV cameras within six weeks at all places of access to members and all places where games are played, and make available CC TV footage of at least the prior 15 days to police as and when called upon.

Key takeaways

Petitioner shall issue identity cards to all its members, to be produced when called upon by police during raids and surveillance.ratio¶44
Petitioner shall not permit activities of amusement falling within Sections 2(14) and 2(15) of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, nor games of chance per Explanation (II) to Sub-section (7) of Section 2; members shall not play games with stakes or make profit or gain, except games of skill.ratio¶47

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka (Sachin Shankar Magadum J., 15.04.2026) disposed of a writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 filed by Krishnaraja Sports Club (R), Mysuru, a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, which sought a mandamus restraining police from insisting on a licence under the Karnataka Police Act or the Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Amusement enactment for indoor skill games (chess, carom, rummy etc.) and from interfering with its lawful activities, alleging repeated police visits, intimidation and threats. Following the Division Bench judgment in D.V.R Recreation Club Vs State of Karnataka (W.A.No.20090/2015) and W.P. No.21010/2023, the Court disposed of the petition with directions: (a) CC TV cameras to be installed within six weeks at all access points and game areas, with at least 15 days' footage available to police on demand; (b) identity cards to be issued to all members and produced during raids/surveillance; (c) no amusement activities within Ss.2(14) & 2(15) Karnataka Police Act, 1963 and no games of chance per Explanation (II) to S.2(7); no stakes or profit except games of skill; (d) mechanism to prevent unlawful play, with police free to act against offenders; (e) police liberty to visit premises periodically or on information; (f) police not to interfere with lawful recreational activities; (g) order does not bar police action against unlawful or immoral activities in accordance with law.

NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

1 -

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 15^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM WRIT PETITION NO. 11139 OF 2026 (GM-POLICE)

BETWEEN:

KRISHNARAJA SPORTS CLUB (R) REG. NO.40/93-94, 580/3 (CH 44/3 AND 44/3A), SHESHADRI IYER ROAD, (V.V.ROAD). LAKSHMIPURAM, MYSURU - 570 004. REPRESENTED BY IT'S SECRETARY, B.A. MANJUNATH, S/O B.C.ANNAIAH, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, (THE PETITIONER SPORTS CLUB IS REGISTERED UNDER SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT.,)

…PETITIONER

(BY SRI. P. NATARAJU, ADVOCATE)

Digitally signed by SHARADAVANI B Location: High Court of Karnataka

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY IT'S SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOME, VIDHANASOUDHA, BENGALURU - 560 001.

THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MYSURU CITY, MYSURU - 570 001.

THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, CITY CRIME BRANCH,

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

HC-KAR

MYSURU - 570 001.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, LAKSHMIPURAM POLICE STATION, MYSURU - 570 004.

INSPECTOR OF POLICE, LAKSHMIPURAM POLICE STATION, MYSURU - 570 004.

INSPECTOR OF POLICE, CITY CRIME BRANCH, LASHKAR MOHALLA, MYSURU - 570 003.

THE SUB-INSPECTOR OF POLICE, LAKSHMIPURAM POLICE STATION, MYSURU - 570 004.

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. VIKAS ROJIPURA, AGA)

THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS, DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NOT TO INSIST THE PETITIONER TO OBTAIN LICENCE UNDER KARNATAKA POLICE ACT., OR UNDER LICENSING AND CONTROLLING OF PLACES OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT FOR PLAYING OF SKILL GAMES LIKE CHESS, VIDEO GAMES, SNOOKER, CAROM, DART GAME, POKER, RUMMY ETC., IN THE PREMISES OF THE PETITIONER CLUB AND ETC.,

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

3 - NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

HC-KAR

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM

ORAL ORDER

The petitioner – a Registered Recreation Association – has approached this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a writ of mandamus against respondent Nos.2 to 7, restraining them from interfering with the lawful activities carried on by the Association. It is specifically contended that the activities of the petitionerAssociation are confined to indoor recreational games such as painting competition, running the library, gymnasium and playing carom, shuttle cock, chess, rummy and jackpot etc., conducted in the name and style of Krishnaraja Sports Club (R) (old name Sea Breeze Recreation Club), and that no unlawful or prohibited activities are being conducted in the premises.

It is the case of the petitioner that the

Association is a duly registered Society under the provisions of the Karnataka Societies Registration Act,

4 - NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

HC-KAR

1860 having been registered before the Registrar of Societies vide Registration No. 40/93-94, 580/3 (ch 44/3 and 44/3A) dated 12.08.2015. The petitioner asserts that the Association has been established exclusively for recreational purposes and is functioning strictly in accordance with its bye-laws.

The grievance projected in the writ petition is that the respondents – the jurisdictional Police Officers are repeatedly visiting the premises of the Association without any justifiable cause and is interfering with the peaceful conduct of indoor recreational activities. It is alleged that such interference has not only disrupted the functioning of the Club but has also resulted in intimidation and threats to discontinue the activities of the Association.

Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner places reliance on the judgment of this Court in W.P. No.21010/2023, wherein, under similar circumstances, appropriate directions were issued by referring to the

5 - NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

HC-KAR

authoritative pronouncement of the Division Bench of this Court in D.V.R Recreation Club Vs State of Karnataka rendered in W.A.No.20090/2015 . In the light of the principles laid down by the Hon’ble Division Bench and the consistent view taken by this Court in subsequent matters,

the present writ petition is disposed of with the following directions:

a. The petitioner shall install within a period of six weeks, CC TV cameras, at all the places of access to its members and also at all the places, wherein game/s is/are played by the members. The CC TV footage of at least prior 15 days’ period shall be made available by the petitioner, to the police, as and when called upon to do so.

b. The petitioner shall issue identity card(s) to all its member(s), which shall be produced by the member(s), when called upon by the police, during the raid(s) and surveillance etc.

6 - NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

HC-KAR

c. The petitioner shall not permit any activity by any of its member(s), by indulging in acts of amusement, falling within the definition of Sections.2(14) & 2(15) of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 and shall not permit any game(s) of chance as per Explanation (II) of Sub-section (7) of Section 2 of Karnataka Police Act, 1963. The member(s) shall not be allowed to play any kind of game(s) with stakes or make any profit or gain out of the game(s) played, except games of skills.

d. The petitioner shall put proper mechanism in place and shall ensure that no game(s) is played in any unlawful manner by the member(s). If the police find that any of the game/s played is/are contrary to any law and in violation of the settled practice, it is open for them to take action against petitioner and the offenders, in accordance with law.

e. The jurisdictional police shall have liberty to visit premises periodically and/or on receipt of any information about any

7 -

NC: 2026:KHC:20351 WP No. 11139 of 2026

HC-KAR

unlawful activity being carried on in the petitioner’s premises.

f. The respondents are directed not to interfere with the lawful recreational activities carried on by the members of the petitioner – Club/Association.

g. It is made clear that this order would not come in the way of the jurisdictional police invoking the provisions of the Act and taking action in accordance with law, if the member(s) of the petitioner are found to have indulged in any unlawful or immoral activities.

Ordered accordingly.

Sd/(SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM) JUDGE

HDK

List No.: 1 Sl No.: 11