Liquor vendors challenge prolonged dry days imposed by MNF govt

Owners of three bonded warehouses and wine retail vendors Thursday challenged the prolonged dry days declared by the Mizo National Front (MNF) government and submitted a petition in the Aizawl Bench of the Gauhati High Court.

One of the petitioners, Francis Sailo, said the petition was admitted by the high court and the next hearing has been fixed on Tuesday next week, when an interim order is expected.

The high court instructed the state government, through the government advocates, to produce the minutes of the meeting of council of ministers held on December 18 last year and on January 10, on Tuesday.

The owners of the bonded warehouses and wine shop vendors said that they were losing huge amount of money due to the dry days imposed by the state government from December 21 to January 14, which was extended to March 15.

The petitioners said that at least Rs 40 crore worth liquor were in the bonded warehouses and godowns of the liquor shops, while around 100 liquor carrying trucks were still coming from outside the state.

If the state government decided to impose a prohibition again, it should at least give time for legal disposal of the liquor stock and prepare an exit protocol, Sailo said.