SC junks pleas seeking extension of two liquor licences categories

New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain pleas seeking extension, till November 16, of two categories of licences for retail sale of Indian and foreign liquor in private sector in Delhi.

The L7 licence is for a private retail vend for Indian liquor and L10 licence is related to retail sale of Indian and foreign liquor.

The top court was hearing pleas, which emerged from the Delhi High Court order, which refused to pass an interim order to extend these two licences till November 16.

As the Delhi government submitted before a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and comprising Justice C.T. Ravikumar, that the new policy has increased the revenue from about Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, the bench told counsel representing the petitioners that the decision has been taken by the government and it is very firm about it.

"We are not inclined to interfere. Dismissed," it said.

Citing the loss in revenue, a counsel representing one of the petitioners argued that people would go to Noida and Gurugram to buy liquor, as the L7 and L10 licences have not been extended while other category of licences was extended till November 16.

Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, however, submitted before the bench that there are roughly 846 vends in the capital.

As the bench queried Singhvi on petitioners questioning the timing of the decision against the backdrop of the upcoming festive time, he replied all government vends have been allowed to be open till November 16, and there would not be any crowding as strict regulations are in place.

Earlier this week, the high court, while hearing a petition, had declined to put a stay on the closure of retail vends having L7 and L10 licences, under the old excise policy with effect from September 30.