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1983 (11) TMI 274 - SC - Central ExciseWhether it was proper exercise of jurisdiction by the High Court under Art. 226 of the Constitution to have issued a writ of mandamus ordaining the Deputy Commissioner to grant the licence? Whether it was impermissible for the High Court to have embarked upon an inquiry into the facts and on a reappraisal of the evidence come to a finding contrary to that reached by the Board of Revenue based on appreciation of evidence that one set of rival claimants i.e. Parag Saikia and Prafulla Barua, respondents Nos. 1 and 2 were entitled to grant of such privilege in preference to the appellant under the note beneath r. 223(2) of the Assam Excise Rules, 1945? Held that:- It was impermissible for the High Court to have embarked upon an inquiry into the facts to adjudge the suitability or otherwise of the rival pairs of claimants and upon a reappraisal of the evidence come to a finding contrary to that reached by the Board of Revenue. There was nothing on record to show that the Board had acted in excess of jurisdiction or there was an error apparent on the face of the record which resuited in manifest injustice. That apart, it was not a proper exercise of jurisdiction under Art.226 of the Constitution for the High Court to have issued a writ of mandamus ordaining the Deputy Commissioner to grant the liquor licence to respondents Nos.1 and 2 in preference to the appellants. There was no question of the Board disclosing the contents of the report to respondents Nos. 1 and 2. Further, respondents Nos.1 and 2 never made a demand for a copy of the report, and even if such a request was made the Board would have been fully justified in not furnishing the same. Such a refusal would not amount to denial of natural justice for the obvious reason that the rules of natural justice must necessarily vary with the nature of the right and the attendant circumstances. The grant of a liquor licence was not a matter of right but merely in the nature of privilege, Furthermore, the Board was entitled to call for a report of the Deputy Commissioner in an appeal of this nature We cannot also subscribe to the view expressed by the High Court that respondent No.2 Prafulla Barua who is a student of B.Sc. class still undergoing his studies falls within the description of 'educated unemployed youth' appearing in the note beneath r.223 of the Rules. Also the procedure adopted by the High Court in separately dealing with the writ petition filed by respondents Nos.1 and 2 making a grant of the licence to them for the country spirit shop in question while the earlier writ petition filed by the interveners was still pending was not in consonance with law and rules of fairplay and justice - set aside the judgment and order of the High Court - Appeal remanded.
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