The Haryana Excise Policy 2024-25 has come under judicial scrutiny as the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a notice of motion to the State of Haryana in response to a petition challenging a clause that prohibits bars and pubs in all districts, except Gurugram and Faridabad, from operating past midnight.

The petitioner argued that the clause is "manifestly arbitrary, discriminatory, and wholly violative of the constitutional guarantees enshrined under Article 14 of the Constitution of India."

In its petition presented before the Bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Jagmohan Bansal, DA Bodega Hospitality, along with other petitioners, requested directions to the State of Haryana and other respondents to allow them to operate bars and pubs on an equal footing with those in Gurugram and Faridabad. They argued that this would serve the “interest of justice, equity, and fair play.”

Appearing before the Bench on behalf of the petitioners, senior advocate Anand Chhibbar argued that they are operating their hospitality businesses after investing "huge amounts of crores of rupees" in opening bars and pubs in Panchkula.

Chhibbar submitted that the respondents introduced the Excise Policy of 2024-25 with amendments and alterations, under which the petitioners applied for a renewal of their licenses to run bars in Panchkula. However, he argued that the respondents arbitrarily amended rule 9.8.8 in the Excise Policy, restricting the operating hours of bars and pubs in 20 districts of Haryana, including Panchkula, to midnight. He further contended that this amendment was made to benefit a select few by arbitrarily excluding Gurugram and Faridabad from such restrictions.