Hon’ble Devi Prasad Singh, J.—The petitioner, who has been a licensee of country liquor shop from the year 2003 to 2009, has preferred the instant writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, challenging the order passed by the Excise Commissioner, U.P. whereby, security has been forfeited on the ground that the petitioner could not lift the country liquor in the month of March, 2009 to the extent of minimum guaranteed quantity (in short MGQ), provided by the authorities. The petitioner has also impugned the Rule 2 (c) and Rule 2 (o) of the Uttar Pradesh Excise (Settlement of Licences of Country Liquor) Rules, 2002 (in short as 2002 Rules), with a prayer to declare it ultra-vires.

2. The petitioner was excise licensee, granted license to sell country liquor in the year 2003-2004. The license was continued and extended upto the year 2008-2009. In lieu of license granted by the State, the petitioner furnished security money amounting to Rs. 5,22081/-. However, inspite of lapse of license tenure when the security money was not refunded, he moved an application dated 20.5.2009 followed by reminders dated 23.3.2010 and 15.4.2010 under the Right to Information Ac