Punjab and Haryana High Court sustains the excise laws of the state

The appeal against the excise policy for 2024–25 has been denied by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The high court’s Division Bench said that it was satisfied that the government had strictly adhered to the Act’s requirements and that the policy had been lawfully announced. It was not possible to claim that the policy violated the Act or the Rules.

Before the bench of Justices Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Sudeepti Sharma, the petitioner contended that the relevant department had introduced the policy with changes to the liquor sector. The non-refundable application cost for the alcohol vends has been raised to Rs 75,000. It was also said that the same was completely arbitrary and unfounded. Conversely, Punjab Advocate-General Gurminder Singh told the Bench that the state’s new policy strictly complied with the requirements of the applicable Act and regulations.

“The petitioner’s attorney’s submission that the liquor vends be distributed through auction is found to be without any basis,” the Bench said. Regarding policy, this court will not overrule the state government’s position with reference to its own.