‘Up to the govt to manage its finances’

Vijayawada: The high court on Friday declined to give interim orders in the PIL filed challenging the recent amendments made to AP Excise Act. The high court bench headed by Chief Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy said the courts do not run the government. We are not inclined to interfere with financial matters of the state government, the bench said.
Narasapuram MP K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju had moved the high court challenging the amendments made to AP Excise Act.Arguing on Raju’s behalf, Ambati Sudhakar Rao said the amendment was brought in to show the revenue of AP Beverages Corporation as the revenue of the state government. This arrangement is being made to obtain more loans from financial institutions, he said, adding that the amendment is illegal and arbitrary as the arrangement is being made to obtain loans by pledging future revenues from the sale of liquor.
The high court asked as to who the petitioner was. After Rao said the petitioner is a member of Parliament, the high court responded saying that the petitioner should have raised the issue in the Parliament rather than coming to the high court. As Rao pressed on the issue of financial irregularities being committed by the state government, the court observed that there are institutions like Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to look into those issues. The court cannot interfere in the financial matters of the government, the bench noted, adding that it is up to the state government to manage its finances. Declining to grant interim orders, the high court posted the matter for further hearing to June 15.