ami ▁did ▁pione ering ▁work ▁to ▁make ▁Ch and ig ar h ▁smoke - free . ▁In sp ired ▁by ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁Ch and ig ar h , ▁the ▁then ▁Union ▁Health ▁Minister ▁Dr . ▁Am bum ani ▁Ram ad oss ▁en act ed ▁the ▁new ▁smoke - free ▁reg ulation ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁India ▁b anned ▁sm oking ▁in ▁public ▁places ▁on ▁ 2 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Near ly ▁a ▁de cade ▁earlier , ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁a ▁Division ▁Ben ch ▁of ▁the ▁Ker ala ▁High ▁Court ▁in ▁India ▁b anned ▁sm oking ▁in ▁public ▁places ▁by ▁declaring ▁public ▁sm oking ▁as ▁illegal ▁( the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁world ), ▁un const itution al , ▁and ▁viol ative ▁of ▁Article ▁ 2 1 ▁of ▁the ▁constitution . ▁The ▁ben ch ▁head ed ▁by ▁Dr . ▁Justice ▁K . ▁Nar ay ana ▁Kur up , ▁held ▁that ▁to b acco ▁sm oking ▁in ▁public ▁places ▁( in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁c igare tt es , ▁cig ars , ▁be ed ies ▁or ▁otherwise ) ▁falls ▁within ▁the ▁m isch ief ▁of ▁the ▁pen al ▁prov isions ▁rel ating ▁to ▁public ▁n uis ance ▁as ▁contained ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Pen al ▁Code ▁and ▁within ▁the ▁definition ▁of ▁air ▁poll ution ▁as ▁contained ▁in ▁the ▁stat utes ▁dealing ▁with ▁protection ▁and ▁pres ervation ▁of ▁environment , ▁in ▁particular , ▁Pre vention ▁and ▁Control ▁of ▁Pol l ution