Allahabad HC directs govt not to allow ‘hookah’ in bars

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary (CS) not to permit bars, restaurants and cafes to serve ‘hookah’ till further orders of this court with immediate effect in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
Treating a letter petition as PIL, a division bench comprising Justice Shashi Kant Gupta and Justice Shamim Ahmed also directed the chief secretary to file his response and a compliance report by the next date of hearing through his personal affidavit. The court directed to list this matter on September 30 for the next hearing.
Pointing towards the threat of spread of Covid-19, the court observed, “It cannot be denied that coronavirus cases are increasing day by day and in case public places such as restaurants and cafes are not restricted from serving hookah with immediate effect, there might be chances of vast community spread of corona-virus cases in Uttar Pradesh.”
“The pandemic is spreading like wildfire despite harsh lockdowns and is threatening the existence of human life. The situation is very grim. We are standing in a forest of darkness and do not know what tomorrow holds,” the court added. The court directed the registrar general of the high court to send a copy of this order forthwith to the UP chief secretary and all the district magistrates in the state for necessary compliance.
Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, the court appointed a high court lawyer, Vinayak Mithal, as amicus curiae in the matter to assist the court.
Earlier, the petitioner, Hari Govind Dubey, a student of law at the Lucknow University, had approached the higher authorities seeking a ban on the smoking hookah but was of no avail. Hence, he wrote a letter to the court, which the court treated as a PIL.
The order dated August 27 came to limelight on Monday.