The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday ordered that individuals be permitted to possess three bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) as per G.O. Ms.No.411 issued by the Excise Department in September 2019.
A single-Judge Bench consisting of Justice D.V.S.S. Somayajulu said in the order that the petitioners — K. Srinivasulu, E. Anand, M. Hema Sundar, S. Nageswara Rao and N. Raju Satish (all from Maturu village in Anakapalli mandal of Visakhapatnam district) — were entitled to possess the above number of IMFL bottles and a prima facie reading of the FIR showed that only three bottles of 750 ml each were seized from them.
Therefore, the proceedings in the relevant crime (number 95 of 2020 registered in Rampachodavaram police station of East Godavari district) should be stayed, Justice Somayajulu ruled.
It was stated in the G.O. that a person could have in possession the following maximum quantities of intoxicants at a time without any permit or license with effect from September 25, 2019: IMFL and foreign liquor: three bottles of any size, denatured / methylated spirit: three bulk litres, beer: six bottles of 650 ml each and toddy: two bulk litres.
The petitioners have contended that cases were being booked in spite of the individual entitlement to carry the stipulated numbers of liquor bottles.
