APHC010207692026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI [3521]

(Special Original Jurisdiction)

MONDAY,THE FOURTH DAY OF MAY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX PRESENT THE HONOURABLE DR JUSTICE Y. LAKSHMANA RAO WRIT PETITION NO: 11351/2026 Between:

1. P EDDADA CHANDU, TARA CHANDU LATE, AGED ABOUT 51 YEARS, R/O D.NO.11-39-9/3, AZEEMABAD, B C ROAD, NEW GAJUWAKA, GAJUWAKA, VISAKHAPATNAM. - 530026.

2. P ALLA APPANNA., S/O P RAMU LATE, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, R/O D.NO.6-47, R.H COLONY, MADHURAWADA, KOMMADI, VISAKHAPATNAM. -5300048.

...PETITIONER(S)

AND

1. T HE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, HOME DEPARTMENT, SECRETARIAT, VELAGAPUDI, GUNTUR DISTRICT. - 522238.

2. T HE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, MANGALAGIRI, MANGALAGIRI MANDAL, GUNTUR DISTRICT. - 522503.

3. T HE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, SRIKAKULAM DISTRICT, SRIKAKULAM. - 532001.

4. T HE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, VIZIANAGARAM DISTRICT, VIZIANAGARAM. - 535001.

5. T HE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, PARVATHIPURAM MANYAM DISTRICT, PARVATHIPURAM. - 535501.

6. T HE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, ALLURI SITHARAMA RAJU DISTRICT, PADERU. -531024.

7. T HE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE, ANAKAPALLE DISTRICT, ANAKAPALLE. - 531002.

8. T HE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, VISAKHAPATNAM COMMISSIONERATE, VISAKHAPATNAM. - 530002.

...RESPONDENT(S):

Counsel for the Petitioner(S): KOTTAKOTA SRINIVASARAO Counsel for the Respondent(S):

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 writ order or orders specially one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the inaction of the Respondents No. 3 to 9 in considering the Representations Dt 23.03.2026 seeking permission for conducting and exhibiting games of skill such as 1 Ring Throw 2 Ball Box 3 Video Games 4 Dart Throw 5 Gun Shooting 6 Steel Glass Shooting 7 Balloon Shooting and 8 Steel Articles Games being arranged by the petitioners to ekeout their lively hood as illegal arbitrary biased and contrary to the well established legal principles apart from being violative of the fundamental and constitutional rights guaranteed under Articles 14 191g and 21 of the Constitution of India and consequently direct the Respondents No 3 to 9 to grant permission to exhibit and conduct the skill games stated supra and pass….”

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned Assistant Government Pleader.

3. Sri Kottakota Srinivasa Rao, learned counsel for the petitioners, submits that the representation dated 23.03.2026 submitted by the petitioners to the respondent police was neither considered nor disposed of. He further submits that the petitioners may be permitted to submit fresh representations individually to the Superintendent of Police of the respective districts and, upon such submission, the concerned Superintendent of Police may be directed to dispose of the same in accordance with law, so that the livelihood of the petitioners is protected.

4. Sri P. Ajay Babu, learned Assistant Government Pleader, on written instructions, submits that the petitioners sought permission to conduct “skill games” during festival seasons without furnishing essential particulars such as the exact venue, duration, expected gathering, and traffic management arrangements. It is submitted that grant of permission requires prior assessment of law and order, traffic, and public safety implications, which could not be undertaken in the absence of necessary details. It is further submitted that such activities, though projected as skill games, are prone to misuse for gambling, unauthorized monetary transactions, and exploitation of the public, besides causing congestion and public nuisance. It is also submitted that continuous monitoring of such activities would require substantial police manpower and may adversely affect public order during festival seasons.

5. Having regard to the entire facts and circumstances of the case, and re