Kerala HC fines Rs 50,000 on petitioner seeking online delivery of liquor amid Coronavirus

Kerala High Court on Friday rejected petition seeking court directives for  State Bevers Corporation to allow online delivery of liquor for consumers and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on man who had filed petition. petition has come at a time when entire country grapples with Coronavirus threat as number of positive cases has surged over 250.

Condemning insensitive action of petitioner, Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar said, "It is distressing to te that twithstanding clear instructions given with a view to attaining objectives of Health Department, writ petitions have been indiscriminately filed before this court."

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Kerala HC: 'Reckless, insensitive and insolent action'

" citizenry ought to realise that restrictions imposed by this court on filing of cases is with a view to ensuring that ir fundamental rights as citizens, for access to justice, is guaranteed to extent possible, even at cost of exposing judges, lawyers, clerks and staff of this court to risk of viral infection," court said.

court observed that blatant act of selfishness of petitioner and ors like him in society makes it evident that ir obsession of perceived rights blinds m to obligatory duty that y owe towards ors. court furr stated that a frivolous petition at a time like this is a mockery of salutary concept of access to justice, furr stating that reckless, insensitive and insolent action of petitioner cant be let off lightly.

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counsel of petitioner requested court to allow petitioner to withdraw his petition but court refused to lift off fine of Rs 50,000.

"Although counsel for petitioner prays for permission to withdraw writ petition, but merely because of he has chosen to withdraw writ petition, after having filed it and submitted it to processing that is required before it reaches Bench, petitioner cant be exempted from costs that must inevitably be imposed on him for his conduct", it said.

"Accordingly, while dismissing writ petition with contempt that it deserves. It is appropriate to impose exemplary costs of Rs 50,000 on petitioner, which amount he shall pay to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, within two weeks from Friday, and produce a receipt of such payment before Registrar General of this court, failing which, amount, toger with interest reon, shall be recovered from him through revenue recovery proceedings", court said in its order.

(With PTI inputs)

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