No liquor shops on national and state highways from April 1

Expressing concern about over 1.5 lakh road mishaps, the Supreme Court has ordered a ban on all liquor shops on national as well as state highways across in India.

The licenses of present shops at these highways will not be renewed after March 31 next year.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur also ordered to remove all signages indicating presence of liquor vends.

The bench also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao said the existing licenses of liquor shops across the highways will not be renewed after March 31, 2017.

The top court took cognizance of more than 1.5 lakh fatalities every year in road mishaps.

The apex court, while reserving verdict on December 7 on a batch of pleas seeking a direction to amend excise laws to ensure that no liquor is sold alongside highways, came down heavily on the Punjab government for seeking relaxation and permitting liquor shops near highways if they are "elevated" ones and the vend are under or near it.

"Look at the number of licences you (Punjab) have given. Because the liquor lobby is so powerful, everyone is happy. The excise department is happy, the excise minister is happy and the state government is also happy that they are making money. If a person dies due to this, you give Rs one or 1.5 lakh. That is it. You should take a stand which is helpful for the society," the bench had said.

Reminding the state government of its constitutional obligation to prohibit liquor sale, the bench had asked the state to do something for general public considering that nearly 1.5 lakh people were dying every year.

The bench had also expressed unhappiness over alleged inaction by various states in removing liquor shops alongside roads which give rise to drunken driving and consequential fatalities.