Gujarat HC rejects Maharashtra liquor body’s PIL on ‘harassment’

The Gujarat HC rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to prevent the state police from charging wine shop owners and liquor license holders from Maharashtra under the Gujarat Prohibition Act.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee termed the PIL, filed by the Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors, as “wholly misconceived” and declined to issue blanket directions.

Individual Remedy Available says Gujarat HC:

The High Court highlighted that affected shop owners and Maharashtra license holders have recourse to them individually, indicating that the court cannot provide overarching directives in such cases.

Allegations and Background:

The Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors, representing licensed liquor vendors in Maharashtra, lodged the PIL last year, alleging the illegal booking of Maharashtra wine shop owners and license holders under the Gujarat Prohibition Act. 

The association claimed that these individuals were being implicated based on statements made by those arrested for transporting liquor illegally into Gujarat.

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