Private liquor retailers in the state have moved the high court to quash the New Excise Policy, 2015, claiming it is discriminatory, misguiding and violates fundamental rights.

Chandra Shekhar, secretary of Patna District Foreign Liquor Retailers' Association, has filed the writ.

The parties in the case include the state of Bihar, principal secretary of department of registration, excise and prohibition, excise commissioner and Bihar State Beverages Corporation Limited.

In the writ, the petitioner pointed out the purported folly of banning country liquor on the grounds that it harms people residing in villages and at the same time allowing foreign liquor to be sold to people living in urban areas.

Vindhyachal Singh, who has filed the case, said: "The action of the state government is inconsistent to the New Excise Policy, 2015, as the administration itself is introducing new brands of foreign made foreign liquor, wine and low-alcohol beverages."

Patna District Foreign Liquor Retailers' Association president Nawal Kishore Singh was of the view that only absolute prohibition was the answer and asserted that more cases would be filed against the state government over the New Excise Policy, 2015, by the aggrieved retailers and people working at private liquor shops.

The case is expected to come up for hearing next month.