Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has refused to interfere in the state’s policy of according permission to elite bars in major cities.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice A. Rajasheker Reddy was dealing the plea of Warangal-based social worker Rajanala Srihari, who sought the setting aside of the government order to give permissions to elite bars.
The bench opined that the government policy could not be questioned with the intention of personal interest. It said that the state did not act in excess of its powers in allowing elite bars. Mr Jitendar, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that without considering the public health the government had issued GO Ms No. 223 allowing setting up elite bars in addition of existing bars by collecting additional 25 per cent of excise licence fee.
He brought in the notice of the court that the elite bars were exempted from the burden of bidding for the licences every year. They can continue their business for any number of years by adhering to certain conditions like the annual increase in the licence fee.
Mr Sanjeev Kumar, special counsel for the state government, submitted that the petitioner was set up by certain rival liquor dealers as they had apprehensions that their business in the area where these elite bars came up might be adversely affected.
The bench dismissed the plea by commenting that competing commercial interests were seemingly camouflaged in the litigation.
