Liquor shop relocation under excise rules allowed where "place" means licensed premises, not a territorial restriction.

The expression "from one place to another" in Rule 209 was construed in light of the Puducherry Excise Act and Rules as referring to the licensed premises, not as imposing a territorial bar between regions. The definition of "place" in Section 2(22) was held to describe the premises or structure housing the shop, while the Rules separately use "region" and "local area" where territorial limits are intended. On that reading, no provision prohibited shifting an FL-1 liquor shop from one region to another if licensing conditions were met and the competent authority approved the move. The permission to shift the shop from Mahe to Karaikal was therefore valid.

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Issues: Whether the permission granted to shift an FL-1 licensed liquor shop from one region to another within the Union Territory of Puducherry was permissible under the Puducherry Excise Act, 1970 and the Puducherry Excise Rules, 1970.

Analysis: The expression "from one place to another" in Rule 209 was construed in the context of the scheme of the Excise Act and Rules. The definition of "place" in Section 2(22) describes the premises or structure where the shop is housed, and does not impose a territorial restriction. The Rules also distinguish "place" from "region" and "local area" where such territorial limitation is intended. No provision in the Act or Rules prohibits shifting a licensed shop from one region to another, provided the licensing conditions are satisfied and the competent authority grants approval. The demography of Puducherry, comprising unconnected regions, supported a non-restrictive construction of the shifting provision.

Conclusion: The permission to shift the licensed premises from Mahe to Karaikal was valid and permissible under the Act and Rules.

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