Telangana High Court tells police to book cases against errant pubs across city
Telangana High Court
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Monday directed the Commissioners of Police of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda to implement the earlier court orders in respect of the pubs playing music strictly and to book cases, under Section 15 of Environment Protection Act, 1986, against those violating rules. It cautioned that failure of the police to do so will be viewed seriously.
The High Court single bench headed by Justice Kanneganti Lalitha adjudicated the two writ petitions filed by the Jubilee Hills Residents Green Colony Association and Subhash Reddy of Jubilee Hills.
GP for Home department T Srikanth Reddy sought some more time to the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, for a filing counter-affidavit as earlier directed by the court, citing ambiguity, as there are several acts involved in the matter. When she queried, he informed the court that the police are implementing the court orders.
Counsel for the petitioners said no court orders are being implemented, music has not stopped in pubs by the police; they are playing music without obtaining licence.
Counsel for Subhash Reddy told the court that some pubs are granted licences by the Excise department which are below 500 mtr radius from the residential areas.
GHMC Standing Counsel Pasham Krishna Reddy said it is not the authority to grant trade licences to pubs and amusements, the licences are issued on formal basis only.
The court adjourned the hearing after the Dasara vacation, directing the police to strictly implement the earlier orders and book cases against the violators under Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and also against owners of pubs, which violate the court orders. The bench directed the Commissioner of Police Hyderabad to file his counter-affidavit in the next hearing. It also asked both petitioners to file their affidavits informing the violations by pubs in playing music, dancing, and those being run in residential areas.The courts directed the Commissioner Prohibition and Excise to file his counter.