Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has imposed restrictions on opening of country liquor outlets at Jatni and Taraboi panchayat in Khurda district.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi has ruled that the Khurda district administration cannot open liquor shops at Jatni and Taraboi without the consent of the HC.
The bench has also sought a reply on the issue from the state government and posted the next hearing to January 8.
Khurda collector had issued a notification for opening of country liquor shops at Jatni and Taraboi March 10 this year. Opposing the district administration’s move, Manas Kumar Dalai, a resident of Gajapati Nagar under Jatni municipality, had filed a case in the HC.
Dalai had informed the court that the Khurda district planning committee has not approved a proposal to set up a liquor outlet at Jatni. Besides, the administration had not conducted any public hearing on the issue. Moreover, it had failed to mention particular locations for the two proposed liquor shops as per the guidelines of Excise department, the petitioner informed the HC.
PNN