Liquor Trade Is a Privilege, Not a Fundamental Right; Cantonment Board Empowered to Levy Enhanced License Fee: Jammu & Kashmir High Court

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar has upheld the decision of the Srinagar Cantonment Board to enhance the annual license fee for liquor bars. The case arose when the Board revised the fee to ₹5,00,000 with a 30% annual escalation, which was challenged as arbitrary and discriminatory. The Court clarified that such decisions fall within the legitimate regulatory power of the Board under the Cantonment…