New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday indicated that it will have a re-look at the December 2016 order banning liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways across the country, with a view to preventing accidents caused due to drunken driving.
With the court giving a deadline of March 31 for closure of all the liquor shops located on highways, several states and liquor shop licences have sought a modification of the order and to extend the time limit by six to eight months to comply with the order.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and L. Nageswara Rao told a battery of lawyers representing states and liquor merchants and owners of restaurants and hotels serving liquor that court will consider passing an order keeping in mind the safety of citizens and revenue of states.
Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, Tamil Nadu are some of the states that had sought a modification of the order. The All Assam Indian Made Foreign Liquors Retailers’ Association wanted modification of the order, saying it virtually banned liquor shops in the state, as the definition of state highways in the local statute included all roads.
