Gujarat high court raps Gujarat government on prohibition policy

The Gujarat high court (HC) on Saturday criticised the state government for not implementing the prohibition laws effectively in the state and directed it to consider and table the report of KM Mehta Commission of Inquiry that investigated the Hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad in 2009 that claimed 156 lives.

Pronouncing the judgement, the HC said the figures indicated that the prohibition policy has failed. The Gujarat government had set up a commission of inquiry headed by KM Mehta, retired judge of Gujarat HC to probe into the tragedy and the illicit liquor trade in the state. The bench, comprising chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and justice JB Pardiwala, criticised govt’s approach towards the commission of inquiry report. “The commission completed the inquiry in 2012 and placed its report before the state government. Regarding the terms of inquiry, the commission must also have made recommendations for effective implementation of the prohibition laws, an action plan for effective police action.

“We have no idea as to what is the ultimate conclusion drawn by the commission since it is not on record and appears that it is yet to be tabled on the floor of the house. It will be in the larger interest of the public if the govt takes into consideration the report of the commission at the earliest,” the high court noted. High Court disposed the suo motu petition without passing any order.