High court puts stay on new excise policy of the state, asks government to reply by April 10
The Nainital High Court has asked to maintain the status quo while staying the new excise policy of the state for the time being. The court has sought the government’s reply in the matter by April 10. The next hearing of the case will be on April 13.
The case was heard before a division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Alok Kumar Verma. Vikash Chandra, had filed a petition in the High Court saying that the government has announced a new excise policy on March 22, which is to be implemented from April 1.
The government had issued a release on March 25 and said that the old licensees should get their shops license renewed by March 29. After this, the shops which have not been renewed will be allotted through lottery system on March 31.
It was also stated in the petition that under Clause 5.3 and 6.3 of the Excise Policy, there is a separate policy for country liquor and English liquor. A guarantee duty of Rs 270 per bottle has been fixed for country liquor, while it has not yet been fixed for English liquor. Therefore, on what basis should they get the shops renewed. The government has also given them less time to renew the license.
At the same time, the time for allotment of shops through the lottery system has also been reduced. Renewal is to be done on 29th, holiday on 30th and allotment of shops through lottery on 31st March. It was said in the petition that the government has not given them even a day’s time. The government itself has not fixed the rates yet, so this should not be implemented.
