HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Friday reserved its orders for Saturday on three petitions seeking a direction to stay the G.O. Ms. No. 87 Revenue Excise II Department, dated September 20 fixing reservations for Gouds 15%, SCs 10% and STs 5% in allocating wine shop licenses.
The petitions argue that the G.O is in conflict with Section 28 and Rules issued under Section 17, 28 and 29 of Telangana State Excise Act 1968 namely AP Excise Grant of License for selling by shops and conditions of Licence Rules 2012 and Excise Policy.
On the last date of hearing, Justice K Lakshman directed the Telangana government to get written instructions based on which the GO fixing reservations for Gouds, SCs and STs were fixed while allocating the licenses.The Justice issued the instructions on the petitions filed by filed by Vasireddy Ravikanth and another person from Khammam, Mudda Ramesh from Mahbubabad and Kavati Venkanna from Bayyaram, Khammam.
‘Gouds need the business’
Advocate General B S Prasad informed the court that the Cabinet in its wisdom felt it desirable to allocate such percentage of reservation to Gouds, SCs and STs in allocation of liquor shops. He further informed the court that the Gouds were into the business of toddy. In the present scenario, the number of toddy trees have drastically come down and the liquor business was in proximity to toddy business. As part of welfare measures, the Telangana government chose to give them licences.
Can they afford it?
The petitioners’ counsels opposed the contention of the Advocate General that the Gouds, who come under the BC caste, are socially and economically backward. An amount of Rs 2 lakh has to be paid at the time of applying for allotment of a liquor shop licence and after one succeeds in getting allotment, he has to shell out Rs 1.10 crore as yearly fee to the government. If the Gouds are socially and economically backward, how can one mobilise such a huge amount, he asked.