In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has issued an interim order preventing any coercive action against the Le Meridien Hotel, located on Janpath, regarding its licensing renewal applications. The court’s directive comes as a relief to C J International Ltd, the entity operating Le Meridien, amidst ongoing legal disputes over its health trade license.
Justice Sachin Datta presided over the matter, issuing a notice to the Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) and the Delhi Government in response to the petition filed by the hotel management. The dispute centers around the renewal of the hotel’s ‘Eating House Licence’ and ‘Lodging Licence,’ which authorities have stalled due to issues stemming from a health trade licence revoked in 2017.
Despite the revocation, the Delhi High Court had previously stayed the cancellation order, allowing the hotel to continue its operations under the existing terms. This stay remains in effect, bolstering the hotel’s position in its latest legal challenge against the administrative hurdles it faces.
In court proceedings, the hotel’s legal representatives argued against the necessity of presenting a valid health trade licence from the New Delhi Municipal Council as a precondition for the renewal of its operational licences, including those allowing the serving of alcoholic beverages.
The authorities have been given four weeks to respond to the court’s queries, with the matter scheduled for a subsequent hearing on August 5. Until then, the court has clarified that the renewal of Le Meridien’s licences should proceed without the contested health trade licence, citing a similar precedent in another case involving a local restaurant.
