The court ordered action against unauthorised alcohol consumption in clubhouses and noisy DJ events, urging police commissioners to act promptly on illegal activities in gated communities. It suggested an app for anonymous resident complaints about such incidents
Published Jan 02, 2025 | 9:04 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 02, 2025 | 9:04 PM
BL Santhosh, Jaggu Swamy, Tushar Vellapally, B Srinivas have got another reprieve from the Telangana HC. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Telangana High Court has ordered the Hyderabad Police Commissioner to issue detailed guidelines for prevention of illegal activities in gated communities in Hyderabad.
The court held that police had the power to prevent illegal activities, even if they took place inside the gated communities under the City Police Act.
The High Court gave the direction on Wednesday, 1 January, on a petition filed by one Ch Harigovinda Khoran Reddy that the police were not taking any action despite repeated complaints that illegal activities were taking place in community places. One such community mentioned was Fortune Fields Villas in KPHB in Hyderabad.
The High Court observed that the police should step in to curb such activities as the villa owners’ associations may not be able to do the job. It was pointed out that while people choose gated communities for peace, some residents are misusing shared spaces like clubhouses. The courts said it was difficult for the villa associations to keep a watch on such activities in gated communities like Indu Fortune Villas which has 375 villas and hence the need for an alert police.
In regards to the Indu Fortune Villas, the court said that there should be a committee with members who are not part of the executive committee, to keep watch on unsocial activities. They would then report them to the executive committee and if they find that there were criminal activities, they should be immediately brought to the notice of the police.
The court emphasized the need to prevent alcohol consumption in clubhouses without permission from the Excise and Prohibition Department, and the organizing of noisy DJ events without police approval. It directed police commissioners to take swift action against any illegal activities in gated communities. To aid this, an app may be developed for residents to anonymously report violations, as those organizing such events are often influential.
The police were also instructed to ensure that all activities within gated communities comply with relevant laws, including the City Police Act, Noise Pollution Act, and Excise and Prohibition Act.
Additionally, a suggestion was made for villa owners’ associations to form sub-committees to monitor activities in community spaces and raise awareness among members about preventing the misuse of areas like clubhouses.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
