Cuttack, March 30: The Orissa High Court has approved the Excise department’s rejection of applications for grant of licence for new IMFL ‘on shop’ in rural areas.
The High Court refused to interfere in the government’s policy decision under the State Excise Policy 2023-24 to not grant new licence for opening ‘liquor on-shops’ in rural areas.
The division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice MS Raman approved the Excise department’s rejection of applications for grant of licence for new IMFL ‘on shop’.
The Excise department had cited the new policy and rejected pending applications related to excise year 2022-23 on May 29, 2023. The rejection order was challenged in as many as 35 petitions.
The bench said the applications were rightfully considered with reference to the law prevailing as on the date of consideration and not with reference to the date of submission of the applications and disposed of the batch of petitions on Wednesday. The petitioners wanted refund of their application fees Rs 1,10,000 after rejection of their applications.
The state counsel submitted that there is no provision envisaged for refund of application fee in the event the same is rejected. However, the counsel conceded that if direction is granted to the state government, such refund of fee would be considered in its own perspective.
