Supreme Court rejects pleas on liquor shops
With the court giving a deadline of March 31 for closure of all liquor shops located on highways.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a batch of applications seeking modification of its 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 liquor shops located on highways, several states and liquor shop licencees had sought modification of the order and extension of the deadline by six to eight months.
The bench rejected the plea of Tamil Nadu to extend the time limit up to November 30, 2017, saying that the March 31 deadline was granted based on the state’s request.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and L. Nageswara Rao made it clear that the December 15, 2016 order directing closure of liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways will equally apply to bars, pubs, hotels and restaurants serving liquor.