Kerala HC upholds Govt decision on toddy shops

Kochi, Mar 28 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today upheld the State Government's decision to entrust the running of toddy shops in certain areas to Cooperative Societies of toddy tappers and workers.

A division bench, comprising acting Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice M N Krishnan, held that the policy decision of the State to this effect cannot be said to be arbitrary.

The court passed this order while setting aside the order of the single judge, which had held that the decision was prima facie ''irrational and unconstitutional''.

The court, while disposing the appeal filed by the State government against the single judge order, observed that the policy to entrust the toddy shops to workers of Cooperative Societies in a phased manner cannot be faulted.

It observed that the Societies were working at the grassroots level. They are self-governing democratic institutions intending to achieve the objectives of equality and social justice and economic development, as enshrined in the directive principles of state policy.

''So the Government decision to entrust toddy shops to Cooperative Societies will only achieve the social objective,'' it observed.

The court also observed that the Government policy was not answerable to judicial review.

UNI