Issuing of fresh liquor licenses challenged before Supreme Court

3 May 2024 05:31 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 5 Bookmark

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Colombo, May 03 (Daily Mirror) - A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an order restraining authorities including the Excise Department from issuing any new excise licenses to any applicant in violation of the provisions of the Excise Ordinance.

Two members of the Sri Lanka Liquor Licensees Association filed this petition against the Commissioner General of Excise, several other officers of the Excise Department, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, the Director General of the Department of Fiscal Policy, the Ministry of Finance and several others.

The petitioners, Dhananjaya Gunasekera and Nishantha Lakshman maintained that arbitrary and discriminatory grant of new liquor licenses are solely based on political motivations, political pressure or totally irrelevant factors.
They further stated that multiple liquor licenses have been granted to several private individuals and companies without following any rational, reasonable, objective, fair and transparent mechanisms.

The petitioners are further seeking an interim order directing the authorities to forthwith formulate and frame rational and reasonable objectives or scientific criteria for the selection of applicants when issuing new retail excise liquor licenses.

Counsel Nilshantha Sirimanne with Deshara Goonetilleke instructed by Amila Kumara appeared for the petitioners.

Comments - 5

Jayantha Friday, 03 May 2024 07:47 PM

What a bunch of jokers. They maybe having low income after new bars came in. Specially super markets. Government should canel the license of both.

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joshua Friday, 03 May 2024 09:39 PM

CHEERS

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P Kunchithapathan Friday, 03 May 2024 10:37 PM

Issuing of fresh liquor licences and forthcoming elections walk hand in hand. This has been the age old corrupt practice for so long. Governments in power favour their political affiliates to spend more money during the elections.

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Nimal Saturday, 04 May 2024 07:59 AM

Even if bar permits have to be issued the proper tender procedure has to be followed. Things have become so bad that now they are issued at the whims and fancies of a dictator who has no mandate from the people and who certainly is on his way out after completing the destruction of the country initiated by the naki mynah.

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Buddhist Sunday, 05 May 2024 03:20 AM

Voters must remember why these licences are being awarded at this time: bribes to politicians and funding the election campaign of Ranil.

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