Delhi HC issues notice to AAP govt on petition challenging Special Corona Fee on liquor

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital on a petition challenging Special Corona Fee on liquor.

A Bench of Justices Manmohan and Sanjeev Narula asked the Delhi Govt to file a reply and listed the matter for hearing on May 29.

The plea was filed by advocate Shailendra Bhatnagar who has sought to quash and stay on the fee imposed on liquor by the Government of Delhi. It has also sought to direct the concerned departments with appropriate notification to resolve the aforesaid issues.

He challenged Special Corona Fees of 70 percent on the MRP of liquor, imposed by the Delhi Government applicable from May 5, 2020 vide notification dated May 4 saying that notification is absolutely unreasonable and unjustified from the point of view of the consumers.

"This is mere exploitation and benefitting out of the vulnerable situation of the consumers," the petitioner said adding that it is malafide, unjust and irrational.

The advocate said that the Delhi Government has not even considered it important enough to tell reasons to the public for such overnight increase in the price of liquor over the MRP, but has simply taken advantage of the vulnerable situation of the public for their own wrongful gain for generation of revenue for its own.

"The Amendment made by the Government Of National Capital Territory of Delhi is nothing but a pure example of hypocrisy wherein, on one hand, they expect people to help the poor, private offices to pay salaries to their employees, landlords to not demand for rent and on the contrary the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi is admittedly unable to pay their own employees, they have also initiated cost-cutting measures by freezing the dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) of its employees, and thereby they are just wanting to generate revenue by putting prejudiced burden on the public," the petition said.

(ANI)

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