Hookah is a service, not self-service: UP HC bans restaurants from serving in smoking zones

The Uttar Pradesh High Court has ruled that hookah constitutes a 'service' under smoking regulations, imposing an absolute bar on its provision in designated smoking zones at restaurants and cafes.

The court rejected arguments that hookah could be classified as 'self-service' or offered on a 'rental' basis to circumvent the law. The judgment cited the 2017 amendment to the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008, which it said clearly prohibits service-based activities in designated smoking areas.

The ruling effectively prevents hospitality establishments from offering hookah in any form within their premises, even in spaces legally designated for smoking.