P. VENKATARAMA REDDI, J.

( 1 ) THE increase in the licence-fee for various categories of liquor licences by g. O. Ms. No. 160 Revenue (Ex. III) dated 3-3-1990 has led to the filing of this batch of writ petitions.

( 2 ) THE petitioners herein, by and large, are holders of wholesale licence (FL 15), retail licence (FL 24), bar licence (FL 17) and storage licence for godo wns (FL 19 ). A few of them are having distributor s licence (FL 27 ). The grant of these licences is governed by the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Foreign Liquor and Indian Liquor Rules, 1970 issued under the Andhra Pradesh Excise Act, 1968, hereinafter referred to as the Rules and the Act respectively.

( 3 ) SECTION 15 of the Act enjoins that no person shall sell or buy any intoxicant except under the authority and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a licence granted in this behalf. Under Sec. 17 of the Act, the Government may, subject to such conditions as they may deem fit to impose, grant for a fixed period to any person at any place a lease or licence or both either jointly or severally for the exclusive privilege of manufacturing and/or of supplying any liquor or intoxicant by wholesale or

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