Haryana excise policy challenged

Taking up a petition challenging the Haryana government’s excise policy for the financial year 2016-17 and seeking directions not to auction liquor vends by the side of national and state highways, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday put the Haryana government on notice. The petition filed by the Arrive Safe Society of Chandigarh came up for hearing before the division bench comprising Justices SS Saron and Gurmit Ram and the court directed the Haryana government to file its reply by March 30.

Appearing for the petitioner Society, advocate Ravi Kamal Gupta, submitted that the excise policy was against the dictum of the High Court. The counsel sought directions to the state government to not to auction any liquor vends accessible/visible from the national highways/state highways and service lanes abutting them until the exact location of the proposed liquor vend is not disclosed by the state in excise arrangement for the year.