The Delhi High Court has adjourned a petition preferred by 16 successful bidders for licenses for operation of retail liquor vends, seeking to declare the decision of the Delhi government to levy license fees with effect from November 1, 2021 as illegal.
A single-judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli was hearing petitioners, who are 16 successful bidders from different zones in the NCT of Delhi in the tender process conducted by the respondent no.1, for grant of L-7V and L-7Z licenses for operating retail liquor vends
The Court on previous date had directed the Delhi Government to file a status report, the same had not been placed on record and hence the matter was deferred to the next day.
Previously, the court had directed the AAP Government to file a note in terms of the brands for which MRPs have been fixed, and the ones for which are yet to be fixed, as also to the number of brands that have been registered.
The basic contention of the petitioners is that the Delhi government cannot claim any license fee till they fulfil their obligations under the Excise Rules and fix the MRP of the liquor brands so that they can be registered and that petitioners can commence only after fixation of the MRP and registration of all liquor brands.
Also Read: Punjab and Haryana HC disposes of PIL alleging violations of RTE Act provisions in Haryana
The Delhi Government contended that fixation of MRPs is an ongoing process and they cannot be faulted for the slight delay in fixation of the MRP of some brands as it is the petitioners themselves who had belatedly approached the respondents for the said purpose. The matter has been listed for further hearing on November 16.