JUDGMENT

O. CHINNAPPA REDDY, J.:— Apparently there is big money in the liquor business. When, at the close of the hearing on Friday 18th April, 1980, we asked M/s. Kacker and Mridul whether their clients were prepared to deposit or furnish security in a sum of Rs. 35 lakhs in order to guarantee that the bids at a re-auction, if so ordered, would so start that their aggregate would be not less than Rs. 35 lakhs, they agreed with alacrity. We asked the question as we wanted to satisfy ourselves about their bona fides. On a request made on April 20, 1980, we have given them a weeks time to give security to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Excise, Hyderabad.

2. On August 20, 1979, a notification was published in the District Gazette, Hyderabad, by the Commissioner of Excise, Andhra Pradesh, giving notice of a proposal to hold an auction, from September 1, 1979 to Sept. 3, 1979, of the right to sell arrack in retail in respect of 78 arrack shops in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad during the Abkari year, October 1, 1979 to Sept. 30, 1980. The notification was published under R. 4 of the Andhra Pradesh Excise (Lease of Right to Sell Liquor in Retail) Rules, 1969, made