The High Court of Karnataka on Friday stayed the order passed by Deputy Commissioner of Excise, Mangaluru, for closure of four bars based on a note put up by Minister for Food and Civil Supplies U.T. Khader to not allow relocation of bars in areas falling under his Assembly constituency.
Justice Vineet Kothari passed the interim order on the petitions filed by Manmath J. Shetty and three others.
The petitioners were operating bars around National Highways (NHs) and they had sought permission of the authority for relocation of their bars following the judgement of the Supreme Court. The petitioners had started their shops at new locations as permitted by the authorities.
However, on July 12, the DC (Excise), citing instruction from the Minister as a reason, had passed the order directing the petitioners to close their shops temporarily until further orders.
However, the petitioners said the Minister, who is not connected with the department concerned, has no power to instruct the officials for closing liquor vending shops and such an instruction is not binding on the officials. The DC (Excise) has stated in his order that the Minister had pointed out that there were objections from educational and religious institutions to opening of liquor shops and had issued direction to the Excise authorities not to grant permits.
