Delhi HC disposes of plea of Delhi Liquor Trader Association to make public the new Excise Policy after Govt says Policy will be made public Today
The Delhi High Court today disposed the plea filed by Delhi Liquor Trader Association seeking direction to the Government of NCT of Delhi to make public a New Excise Policy for the year 2021-22 on the government's submission that the policy will be uploaded on the government website today.
The order was passed by the single Judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli.
Senior Advocate Arun Mohan appearing for the petitioner said that the policy is not available on the website. If the policy is uploaded and my computer is not working then that is my problem but they have not uploaded it. why keep it a secret, said Mohan.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Delhi Government said that a tender is decidedd by rules and not policy. He further argued that there is no reason why the petitioner could not bid in accordance with the terms of the tender issued in June. The excise policy will anyway be put on the website today itself.
In the previous hearing the Vacation Bench of Justice C Harishankar had listed the matter before the roster bench.
The petition was filed by Delhi Liquor Trader Association through Advocate Siddharth Sharma states that on 28 June 2021, the Government of NCT of Delhi floated a tender inviting e-bids for grant of 32 zonal retail licenses for the year 2021-22 (separate tender for each zone) through the e-tendering process in the form of L-7Z/L-7V for sale of Indian and Foreign Liquor (except country liquor) in the NCT of Delhi ("Tender") on the basis of the New Excise Policy.
"Despite floating the tender publicly on the basis of approved New Excise Policy 2021-22 for NCT of Delhi, the New Excise Policy is yet to be made public and or available on the internet/respondent's website," the petitioner associations has averred.
It was further stated that as per the schedule of the tender, the last date for the prebid queries is July 5, 2021.
While the pre-bid meeting is scheduled to be held on July 6, 2021, and the submission of the e-bid is between July 12 to 20, 2021.
The petitioners have submitted that,
"in order to prepare financially viable and attractive e-bids for the tender, it is absolutely necessary that the approved New Excise Policy 2021-22 should be made available to all prospective stakeholders and or the public in general".
Case Title: Delhi Liquor Trader Association vs Government of NCT Delhi W.P.(C) 6074/2021
Also Read: https://lawbeat.in/news-updates/delhi-high-court-hear-plea-delhi-liquor-trader-association-make-public-new-excise