HC grants 3 days to MP govt to provide Excise policy details

Jabalpur, May 27 () The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday granted three days to the state government to furnish the terms of the Excise policy and certain documents related to agreements with the licensees (liquor contractor or sellers).

The HC allowed the state government's prayer to file the affidavit furnishing these details by May 30, the petitioners' counsel Rahul Diwakar said.

He said the petitioners (liquor vendors) reiterated in the court on Wednesday their demand for a direction to the state government for re-auction of the bids for liqour sale.

State Advocate General sought time to file an affidavit mentioning various terms of the Excise policy and to place on record the copy of the agreement inked with the licensees at the time of auction, Diwakar said.

A division bench of the high court, comprising the Chief Justice A K Mittal and Justice V K Shukla, allowed the prayers of the government and granted time to it to file such details by May 30, he added.

The court was hearing the petition filed by 30 liquor contractors from various parts of the state, seeking direction for either revision of the terms and conditions of their contract or recall of the entire bidding process of liquor sale for the current fiscal in view of the market situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition is listed for hearing on June 2. COR LAL MAS NP NP