Bench sets aside ban on hookah bars

MP | 1 Mar 2023 : The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday set aside the ban on hookah bars and upheld the order of the single bench. This order was given in connection with the appeal filed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) challenging the single bench order of the High Court. 

In the order, the KMC has been asked to submit the paper book by three weeks. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled after six weeks. 

Earlier, a few owners of hookah bars moved the single bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha against the decision of the KMC to shut down the business. It was mentioned that there is nothing specifically written in the KMC Act. 

After the hearing, Justice Mantha ordered that KMC and its adjacent Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) cannot shut down hookah bars as there are no provisions in the law of Bengal. But in the Central government law, hookah bars are allowed. 

If the state wants, a new law can be added through the necessary procedure and only then action against these hookah bars can be taken. 

During December last year, several hookah bars were compelled to shut down as Hakim had asked police to act against them. Similarly, Sabyasachi Dutta, chairman of BMC, also had written a letter to the Bidhannagar Police requesting action against hookah bars. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/bench-sets-aside-ban-on-hookah-bars-510368