JUDGMENT

L. NAGESWARA RAO, J.

Leave granted.

1. Rehabilitation of Abkari workers is the core issue that arises in the Appeals above. Displaced workers who lost employment due to the ban of arrack in the State of Kerala, were successful in the Writ Petition filed by them. The Appeals filed by the State of Kerala and the Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited (for short, ‘the Corporation’) were dismissed by a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court. Thus, the above Appeals.

2. Retail outlets for sale of arrack were started by the Corporation in the year 1995, in view of the decision taken by the Government of Kerala to abolish arrack shops which were hitherto run by private parties. Thereafter, on 01.04.1996, arrack was banned in the State of Kerala. Consequentially, 12,500 arrack workers were deprived of their livelihood. Since it was not possible to provide re-employment to the displaced arrack workers, the State Government paid compensation of Rs. 30,000/-each to the arrack workers in lieu of rehabilitation. In addition, an exgratia of Rs.2000/-was also disbursed by the Government, apart from the provident fund pension and DCRG. Dissatisfied with the decision of the Government