High Court restores licensed liquor shop shut after church objections in West Garo Hills
Excise officials verbally ordered a licensed IMFL retailer to shut after church and committee complaints. The retailer said she was never heard before the closure. The Meghalaya High Court held the licence and its relocation were valid and allowed the writ, permitting the shop to operate.
This page records what the cited court records say happened. Findings belong to the court or authority that made them; this register adds none of its own. Names of private individuals are withheld unless a naming gate clears them.
How we verify →The writ petition was allowed and disposed of on 18.06.2026, with the shop permitted to operate.
What happened
The High Court recorded that the retailer held an IMFL retail licence first cleared in September 2022 for a market site, and then received Excise permission dated 29.01.2025 to relocate to Danakgre opposite the BSF camp.
The High Court recorded that after operating briefly the retailer was verbally told by the Superintendent of Excise to shut following complaints from pastors of two churches, that she complied and remained shut, and that she was never afforded any opportunity to present her case before the closure.
The High Court recorded that an interim order dated 16.12.2025 directed verification of distances from churches and institutions and a meeting between the Deputy Commissioner, the retailer and the village headman, and that later minutes noted the outlet was about 200 metres from the churches with the required NOC obtained and no breach of Excise law.
The High Court held that the licence and its shift were duly sanctioned, the 200-metre distance norm was met, and the objections were based on moral grounds rather than legal or other substantial grounds, observing that lawful sales help curb illicit sales.
Police said nothing in this matter about any victim: a news report of the ruling stated that moral objection by church elders and locals cannot be a ground to shut a licensed shop found beyond the mandatory 200-metre distance from places of worship.
What the record says
“It is thus ordered accordingly and the writ petition is allowed and disposed of.”
WP(C) No. 664 of 2025, final paragraph of judgment dated 18.06.2026 — read the full text
No complaining victim
Selling licensed liquor to willing buyers harmed no one: no violence, fraud, minor, adulteration or complaining victim was alleged.
What we could not confirm
The exact calendar date of the verbal closure order is not printed in the sources; only the sequence (relocation January 2025, then brief operation, then closure) is established. The news report is dated 28.07.2026 while the judgment is dated 18.06.2026, consistent with delayed reporting of the same Danakgre matter.