APHC010651562025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3521]

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

MONDAY,THE NINTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 33649/2025 Between:

The Community Recreation Center ...PETITIONER AND The State Of Andhra Pradesh and Others ...RESPONDENT(S)

Counsel for the Petitioner:

1. SAI MANOJ REDDY L Counsel for the Respondent(S):

1. GP FOR HOME The Court made the following:

ORDER:

The Writ Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following relief:-

“…to issue a writ order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in interfering with the daytoday activities of the petitioner society and orally directing the petitioner society not to allow its members to play 13card rummy on its premises as illegal arbitrary without jurisdiction and violative of Article 14 and 191g of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the respondents not to interfere with the activities of the petitioner society namely Community Recreation Center Kadiri including the playing of

13Card Rummy in its premises and to pass such other order(s)…”

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home.

3. Sri L. Sai Manoj Reddy, learned counsel for the petitioner, submits that pursuant to the amendment Section 2(2) of the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 2020 (Act 43 of 2020) the club is permitted to organize the playing 13-card rummy game without stakes.

4. Sri P. Ajay Babu, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home, brings to the notice of this Court the order passed by a learned Single Judge of this Court in I.A. No.7 of 2025 in W.P. No.11394 of 2024, wherein the said I.A. was allowed, setting aside the earlier order dated 15.09.2025 passed in W.P. No.11394 of 2024, by which permission had been granted to the petitioner therein to conduct card rooms for playing the 13-card rummy game without stakes.

5. Considering the entire facts and circumstances of the case, conducting card rooms for playing the 13-card rummy game without stakes is not an offence punishable under law. However, the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Home requests this Court to pass an order enabling the police to have some regulation over the activities of the club.

6. In view of the above, the Writ Petition is disposed of granting permission to the Petitioner to conduct a card room for playing the 13-card rummy game without stakes. However, the police are at liberty to monitor the activities of the Petitioner club and ensure that the club does not conduct card rooms for playing the 13-card rummy game with stakes. In this regard, the petitioner club shall arrange adequate CCTV cameras covering the areas of the club so that the Respondent police can monitor the activities of the club and ensure that no violation of the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Gaming Act, 1974, as amended, occurs. There shall be no order as to costs.

As a sequel thereto, miscellaneous petitions pending, if any, shall stand closed.

________________________ Dr.Y. LAKSHMANA RAO, J.

Date: 09.03.2026 KMS THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO WRIT PETITION No.33649 of 2025 Date: 09.03.2026 KMS