JUDGMENT :

Ravikumar, J.

The captioned writ appeals are directed against a common judgment dated 25.10.2018 in W.P.(C)Nos.16509/2018, 3969/2018, 6308/2018, 4910/2018, 4811/2018 & 3326/2016. The State of Kerala and its officers who were respondents in the writ petitions are the appellants. The respondents herein/the writ petitioners were licensees/workers of toddy shops under different groups in different Excise Ranges. The licensees were permitted to vend toddy through the respective shops up to 31.3.2018. During the currency of their licences, samples of toddy were taken from their respective shops by the competent officers and on analysis, they were found to be adulterated with foreign materials and in the admixture presence of starch was found. Consequently, crime and occurrence reports were registered against the respondents herein, prior to 21.12.2017, under Section 57(a) of the Abkari Act, 1077. Upon registration of abkari offences against them under Section 57(a) of the Abkari Act, the respective licensees were issued with show cause notices as to why licences issued to