HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday upheld the decision of the state government to allow permit rooms only if they are adjacent to retail liquor shops. The court, however, directed the state government to carry out an audit in respect of all liquor shops to ensure that the shops and permit rooms are established in compliance with the statutory provisions as contained in the rules.
The state government should ensure that no shop is established in a residential locality along with a permit room, near a hospital, near a religious institution or near a school as well as other prohibited places as mentioned under the rules.
In case, there is a violation of the Excise Act and the rules framed under it, the state government should close down the shops forthwith after conducting audit in respect of all shops within a period of two months from the date of the order and a compliance report has to be submitted to the Registrar General of this court.
The court further directed that the state government should ensure that the consumption of liquor does not take place outside the permit rooms or outside the bar which causes inconvenience to the people at large. The state Government is directed to strictly follow the statutory provisions as contained in the Excise Act.
The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice N Tukaramji, disposed of the PIL challenging government’s decision to allow the permit rooms adjacent to retail liquor shops. The bench made it clear that in case the licence has been granted in any residential area causing inconvenience to the public, the same can be brought to the notice of this court by filing a writ petition.