Telangana High Court To Soon Decide on Liquor Shop Deadline Extension

Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court prima facie was of the view that there was a need to deliberate on the government`s decision to extend the last date for receipt of the applications for retail liquor ‘A4’ shops from October 18 to 23. The court said that it would decide on Saturday on a writ petition challenging the memo issued by the commissioner of prohibition and excise department to extend the deadline.

Justice N. Tukaramji on Friday heard arguments for more than two hours and adjourned the case to Saturday as the government wanted to submit more arguments. The judge said that the matter would be decided on Saturday.

Senior counsel Avinash Desai, appearing for the petitioners, argued that Rule 12, Sub Rule 5 of the Excise and Prohibition Act had been violated by extending the last date. He argued that when the government had framed the rules, it could not violate them and go on extending the date, on the ground that there was a bandh call on October 18, and sought a stay on the process.

Md Imran Khan, additional advocate-general informed the court that the petitioners had challenged the memo of the commissioner, prohibition and excise department, whereas they had not challenged the Gazette published in the districts pertaining to this process. The total number of applications received till October 18 stood at 89,343 and the department received 5,793 in the extended deadline, which was miniscule and constituted an increase by 0.5 per cent. He urged the court to not stay the entire process as it was a policy decision of the government. If the process was stayed, the process would get vitiated. If the writ petition was allowed, only 5,793 applicants will be dis-entitled but the entire process will be vitiated, Imran Khan contended.