https://www.taxtmi.com/caselaws?id=160770 No fundamental right exists to trade in intoxicating liquor, because such trade remains a regulated privilege subject to strict State control under excise laws. The statutory scheme may authorise the State to grant exclusive rights to sell liquor by lease or licence and to fix the consideration through public auction. The auction price is treated as consideration for the privilege granted, not as a tax or excise duty. The governing principle is that liquor trade may be prohibited, controlled or granted exclusively in the interests of public welfare, morality and public health, so citizens cannot insist on carrying it on free from statutory restrictions. en-us Wed, 27 Nov 1974 00:00:00 +0530 Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:39:00 +0530 TaxTMI RSS Generator https://www.taxtmi.com/caselaws?id=160770 No fundamental right exists to trade in intoxicating liquor, because such trade remains a regulated privilege subject to strict State control under excise laws. The statutory scheme may authorise the State to grant exclusive rights to sell liquor by lease or licence and to fix the consideration through public auction. The auction price is treated as consideration for the privilege granted, not as a tax or excise duty. The governing principle is that liquor trade may be prohibited, controlled or granted exclusively in the interests of public welfare, morality and public health, so citizens cannot insist on carrying it on free from statutory restrictions. Case-Laws Central Excise Wed, 27 Nov 1974 00:00:00 +0530 https://www.taxtmi.com/caselaws?id=160770