SC dismisses PIL to direct Centre, states to remove liquor vends on highways

The Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed a PIL to direct the central and state governments to remove liquor vends on highways and stop issuing licences to set up such shops.

A Bench led by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, “How can we ask the government to frame a particular policy? This will amount to a legislation. The Parliament is in session. Why don’t you ask your MP and MLA concerned to raise it there? Some states might have done it voluntarily but we cannot direct all states to frame a specific liquor policy.”

The PIL was filed by the NGO, Arrive Safe Society. Finding merit in the contention that liquor vends on the highways are a major cause of accidents, Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered their removal from highways in the two states. The HC had also asked Punjab and Haryana governments to frame new excise policies. The NGO then approached the Supreme Court to get similar orders issued for highways countrywide.