New Delhi, Sept. 29 -- The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday prohibited restaurants in Uttar Pradesh from operating hookah bars or offering hookah services even in "Designated Smoking Areas", citing violations under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (COTPA) Act.

LiveLaw reported the development, saying that the High Court held that a non-smoker's right to breathe clean air in public spaces cannot be compromised to protect the commercial interests of an establishment exercising its right to conduct business. The court noted, "The right of the non-smoker to breathe clean air in a public place is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, that cannot be abridged by commercial interest of an establish...