Chhattisgarh HC issues notice on PIL about excise policy

The Chhattisgarh High Court today issued a notice to the state government over a public interest litigation challenging the decision to amend the excise policy and sell liquor by setting up a government corporation.
The division bench of acting Chief Justice Pritinker Diwakar and Justice Sanjay Agrawal issued notice to the excise department, urban administration and other departments concerned seeking replies within two weeks over the PIL filed by Mamta Sharma, an activist.
Government lawyer Prafulla Bharat said that further hearing would be on March 21.
The PIL said according to the state government, it will not give contracts to the private persons for operating liquor shops any longer, but will run these shops itself by constituting a corporation.

This was a violation of Article 47 of the Indian Constitution which states that it is the duty of the state government to improve public health and take care of social welfare, the PIL said.
If the government itself sells liquor, it will be an open violation of this Article, Sharma told reporters.