India, Nov. 1 -- The Bombay High Court recently ruled that restaurants are permitted to serve hookahs that do not contain tobacco or nicotine, hearing a petition filed by a few restaurateurs earlier this year, seeking relief from constant police raids and threats to cancel their license despite serving herbal hookahs.

"As long as the petitioners comply with the provisions of the Tobacco and Other Products Act, 2003 (COTPA) and do not serve any prohibited substance in the hookah parlour, then no action can be taken against them", the court said.

The Division Bench of Justices RI Chagla and Farhan Dubash, during the hearing on October 14, highlighted that a clause in the COTPA defines a 'hookah bar' as an establishment where people gather...