Smt. Ranjana Desai, J.)

1. Rule. Respondents waive service. By consent of the parties, taken up for final hearing forthwith.

2. The petitioner is engaged in the import of foreign liquor viz. wines and distribution of the same under FL-I Licence No.113 granted by the Collector of Mumbai city.

.Respondent 1 is the Union of India, through the Commerce Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Respondent 2 is the State of Maharashtra. Respondent 3 is the Commissioner of State Excise appointed under Section 3 of the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949. Respondent 4 is the Collector of Mumbai city.

3. Gist of the petitioner's case needs to be briefly stated. Sometime in the month of May, 2007, the petitioner filed an application with respondent 4 in the name of his proprietary concern, M/s. Kunal Vintners, for the purpose of obtaining a wholesale licence under the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 known as “FL-I” for distribution of wines and liquor in the State of Maharashtra. The same was granted to the petitioner on 10/6/2008 being FL-I Licence No.113.

4. On or about 8/7/1948, the Government of India became a signatory and subsequently ratified trading agreements with various countri