On 4th April: Attorney General R. Venketaramani stressed the precedence of Union List’s Entry 52 over State List’s Entry 24 in regulating industrial alcohol for national welfare. The 9-judge bench continued hearing arguments on state regulation of industrial alcohol. Key points included state governments’ authority and the interpretation of “intoxicating liquor” under the Constitution’s provisions, with the next hearing set for April 9, 2024.
India’s Attorney General AG R Venkataramani noted an increase in state governments resorting to the Supreme Court for political disputes, indicating the court’s growing involvement in constitutional challenges previously viewed as political. This trend, exemplified by states like Kerala, Punjab, and Karnataka, poses new constitutional implications. Venkataramani stressed the importance of free speech and the basic structure doctrine in upholding constitutional integrity.