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

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

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of with seven directions: (a) CCTV installation within six weeks with 15-day footage available to police on demand; (b) member identity cards producible during raids/surveillance; (c) no amusement within Ss.2(14) & 2(15) Karnataka Police Act, 1963 and no games of chance per Explanation (II) to S.2(7), no stakes/profit except games of skill; (d) mechanism to prevent unlawful play, with police free to act per law; (e) police liberty to visit premises periodically or on information; (f) police directed not to interfere with lawful recreational activities of members; (g) order does not bar police action against unlawful or immoral activities.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents (jurisdictional police) can insist that the petitioner obtain a licence under the Karnataka Police Act or under Licensing and Controlling of Places of Public Amusement for playing skill games (chess, snooker, carom etc.) at its registered recreation club premises. +1 more

Court's answer

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

Ratio / Principle

The petitioner shall issue identity cards to all its members, to be produced when called upon by the police during raids and surveillance.

Key takeaways

The petitioner shall not permit any activity by its members indulging in acts of amusement falling within the definition of Sections 2(14) & 2(15) of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963.ratio¶49
No games of chance as per Explanation (II) of Sub-section (7) of Section 2 of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 shall be permitted; members shall not play any game with stakes or make profit or gain out of games played, except games of skill.ratio¶53

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ Petition (GM-POLICE), High Court of Karnataka, disposed of on the pattern of D.V.R Recreation Club v. State of Karnataka (W.A.No.20090/2015) and this Court's earlier order in W.P.No.21010/2023. A registered recreation club at Mysuru playing indoor skill games (carom, chess, snooker) was aggrieved by repeated police visits and interference. The Court disposed of the petition with directions: (i) petitioner to install CCTV within six weeks at all access points and gaming areas and produce prior 15 days' footage to police on demand; (ii) member identity cards to be issued and shown during raids/surveillance; (iii) no amusement falling within Ss.2(14) & 2(15), Karnataka Police Act, 1963, and no games of chance per Explanation (II) to Sub-section (7) of Section 2; no stakes or profit except games of skill; (iv) petitioner to ensure no unlawful play, failing which police may act in accordance with law; (v) police retain liberty to visit premises periodically or on information; (vi) police directed not to interfere with lawful recreational activities of members; (vii) order does not restrain police action against unlawful or immoral activities.

1 -

NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

DATED THIS THE 13^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM

WRIT PETITION NO. 38008 OF 2025 (GM-POLICE)

BETWEEN:

KABINI SPORTS AND RECREATION CLUB MANANDAVADI - MYSORE MAIN ROAD, HONNAMMANAKATTE, HEGGADADEVANKOTE, MYSURU-571114, REGISTERED UNDER KARNATAKA SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT 1960 REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, SRI CHAMARAJU, S/O. D. NAGESH, K.R. PURA, ANTHARASANTHE HOBLI, HD KOTE TALUK, MYSURU DISTRICT-571114

…PETITIONER

Digitally signed by NAGARAJA B M Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

(BY SRI. VIJAY KUMAR T., ADVOCATE)

AND:

THE STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. DEPARTMENT OF HOME, VIDHANA SOUDHA, BENGALURU-560001

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE MYSURU DISTRICT, MYSURU-570001

2 - NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE HUNSUR SUB DIVISON, HUNSUR, MYSURU DISTRICT-571105

POLICE SUB-INSPECTOR ANTHARASANTHE POLICE STATION, HEGGADA DEVANAKOTE TALUK, MYSURU DISTRICT-571116

THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF POLICE HEGGADA DEVANKOTE TALUK, MYSURU DISTRICT-571114

THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF POLICE SARAGURU TALUK, MYSURU DISTRICT-571463

…RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI. K.P. YOGANNA, AGA)

THIS WRIT PETITION FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO A) ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS, DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS NOT TO INSIST THE PETITIONER TO OBTAIN LICENSE UNDER KARNATAKA POLICE ACT OR UNDER LICENSING AND CONTROLLING OF PLACES OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT FOR PLAYING OF SKILL GAMES LIKE CHESS, SNOOKER, CAROM, ELECTRONIC COIN GAMES, PENTASTIC-3, THREE DIES BOWLING, (IS NEWLY KNOWN AS SKILLED ELECTRONIC GAME) POKER, WALL GAME, SIX COLOUR GAMES, RUMMY ETC., IN THE PREMISES OF THE PETITIONER ASSOCIATION, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY. B) ISSUE A WRIT OF MANDAMUS, DIRECTING THE RESPONDENTS POLICE NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PETITIONER ASSOCIATION FOR THE RECREATION OF ITS MEMBERS BY PLAYING THE SKILLED GAMES LIKECHESS, DART GAMES, SNOOKER, CAROM, ELECTRONIC COIN GAMES, VIDEO GAMES, POKER, WALL GAME, RUMMY ETC., IN THE PREMISES OF THE PETITIONER - ASSOCIATION, IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.

3 - NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

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

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN SHANKAR MAGADUM

ORAL ORDER

The petitioner – a Registered Recreation Association has approached this Court under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India seeking a writ of mandamus against respondents, restraining them from interfering with the lawful activities carried on by the Association. It is specifically contended that the activities of the petitioner-Association are confined to indoor recreational games such as Carom, Chess and Snooker etc., conducted in the name and style of Kabini Sports and 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, 1960 having been registered before the Registrar of Societies vide

4 - NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

Registration No.DRMY/SOR/446/2025-2026 dated

27.11.2025. 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 respondents – the jurisdictional Police Officers are repeatedly visiting the premises of the Association without any justifiable cause and are 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.

This Court in W.P.No.21010/2023, under similar circumstances, appropriate directions were issued by referring to the 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

5 -

NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

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.

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

6 -

NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

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

f. The respondents are directed not to interfere with the lawful recreational

7 -

NC: 2026:KHC:15484 WP No. 38008 of 2025

HC-KAR

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

NBM

List No.: 2 Sl No.: 64