Govt plans special leave petition against HC order on liquor shop locations

JAIPUR: Total 1,400 liquor shops are to be relocated after Rajasthan high court refused to grant relaxation on its earlier order to shift all shops beyond 150 meters. The government is now planning to place special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the order.
Complying with the orders, the excise department has asked the outlets to relocate beyond the set limit."Under the new excise policy, we had renewed the licenses but location approval was kept on hold. Now, all the licensees have been asked to move beyond the set limit from highways and rural roads," said OP Yadav, excise commissioner.
Rajasthan high court on March 24 refused to make amends to its earlier order on mandatory compliance of 150 meters from national highways, state highways and rural roads and relaxation of the provision in cities for sanctioning liquor shops in the state.
The high court had earlier directed that no liquor shop license to be issued in contravention of rules 75 of the Excise Rules of 1956. According to rule 75, liquor shops had to be sanctioned 150 meters away on both sides of public roads.
Officials from the department hinted that shifting will impact the sales. "The total revenue loss is hard to ascertain just now. Once we receive the figures of sales from the relocated shops, the total losses could be gauged. But certainly there will be a dip in sales," said the official.
Though the SC too on January 13 directed the stakeholders to sit and decide on a "reasonable policy" on the location of liquor shops along the national and the state highways, as it said that it does not favour people drinking and travelling long distances.