Reasonable time for licence compliance allowed where relocation and short notification period risked prejudice to existing operators

A licensing notification for bar permits required existing bar and restaurant operators relocating due to highway-related restrictions to register within a very short period and produce supporting documents immediately. The Court treated that rigid timeline as capable of causing prejudice in the circumstances and accepted that a reasonable period could be allowed for compliance. It held that applicants could file within the notified time and furnish the required documents and permissions within one month thereafter, with the authorities to consider the applications in accordance with law.

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Issues: Whether the petitioners were entitled to reasonable time to file applications and furnish the required documents and permissions for grant of bar licence, instead of being confined to the short time fixed in the notification.

Analysis: The petitioners were existing bar and restaurant operators who were required to relocate because of the highway-related restrictions and the new licensing regime. The notification allowed online registration within a very short period, and the Court found that insisting on immediate production of all documents and permissions would cause prejudice in the circumstances. Since the petitioners were permitted to apply within the notified time and to complete the documentation within an additional period, the administrative process was capable of being balanced without prejudice to the respondents.

Conclusion: The petitioners were held entitled to file the applications within the notified time and to produce the relevant documents and permissions within one month thereafter, and the authorities were directed to consider the applications in accordance with law.

Final Conclusion: The writ petition succeeded to the extent of securing additional time for compliance and consequential consideration of the licence applications.

Ratio Decidendi: Where a licensing notification operates in a manner that may cause prejudice to existing operators required to relocate, the authorities may be directed to afford a reasonable period for furnishing supporting documents and deciding the applications in accordance with law.

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