Widow goes to Court to claim ‘Beer Shop’ license

A widow with two children filed a Writ petition in Court of Appeal seeking to transfer the Beer Shop license of her late husband to her name to operate the shop at the same premises. Mutthiah Abmigapathy, spouse of late Kaliappan Shanmuganadan cited the Commissioner General of Excise, the Assistant Commissioner of Excise (Revenue), Mundel Divisional Secretary A.m.c.m.premasuriya and the Attorney General as Respondents. She lamented that the Respondents had arbitrarily, illegally, maliciously and wrongfully failed to carry out their duties according to law that amounts to the violation

Her late husband operated a Beer Shop in Udappuwa since1999 and consequent to the demise of her husband, the Commissioner General of Excise informed the Divisional Secretary to issue a License in her name valid from 27 January to 28 February 2017

of her rights. She stated that her late husband operated a Beer Shop in Udappuwa since1999 and consequent to the demise of her husband, the Commissioner General of Excise informed the Divisional Secretary to issue a License in her name valid from 27 January to 28 February 2017.

The Petitioner stated that being the lawful wife of the deceased husband, she made an application to the Commissioner General of Excise to have the said license transferred in her name with the consent of her two children.

She stated that her application for the transfer of the said license had been approved by the Chilaw Excise Station OIC, the Excise Department of Chilaw and the Assistant Commissioner of Excise (Wayamba II) but the Divisional Secretary was not approving the said transfer.