Kochi: The Kerala High Court has sought the state and central governments’ views on the petitions seeking to shut down the liquor shops functioning within 500 metres of the roads passing through Kozhikode and Ernakulam cities as these roads were still part of the national highway. P.A. Salim of Edappally submitted before the court that Aroor Junction – Edappally roads passing via Thoppumpady, Thevara, MG Road, Kaloor and Palarivattom are part of National Highway 47. The schedule of the National Highway Authority of India had shown that NH 47 was passing through Ernakulam city.
But the excise authorities were allowing liquor shops to carry on the business in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines. Santhosh Kumar and four others from Ramanattukkara, Kozhikode, also moved the court. The government had never issued any notification omitting the roads from the schedule of National Highway. The petitioners sought to declare that the road passing from Ramanattukara Junction to Kannur road through Cheruvannur, Meenchantha, Kallai and Mananchira in Kozhikode town is an NH and, therefore, the functioning of liquor outlets within 500 metres from the road is illegal.
