India, Nov. 6 -- Upholding the enforcement of licensing requirements for brick dealers, the High Court of J&K and Ladakh has observed that the unregulated import of bricks from outside the Union Territory could result in serious economic distortions such as hoarding, black marketing, and artificial shortages.

Dismissing a petition filed by some dealers, a bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal observed that allowing unmonitored imports would undermine the local brick manufacturing industry and defeat the objectives of the regulatory framework meant to ensure transparency and fair trade.

Several dealers had petitioned the court, contending that the Jammu and Kashmir Brick Kiln (Regulation) Act, 2010 and the Jammu and Kashmir Brick Kiln(Regu...