Law diluted, Punjab is back to high way

Chandigarh, June 23

In a move that may put Bacchus lovers back in high spirits, the Punjab Assembly has amended the law to allow serving of liquor in hotels, bars, clubs and marriage palaces along highways in the state. The move circumvents the Supreme Court 2016 ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of national or state highways and service lanes.

The Assembly today amended the Punjab Excise Act 1914, making changes in clauses that define hotels, clubs and liquor vends as notified places for sale of liquor. The amendment uses the term “supply or service” instead of “sale”, thus allowing serving of liquor.

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To check drunken driving and alcohol-related accidents, the SC banned the sale, not consumption, of liquor, clarified an official.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, while moving the amendment, said the absence of liquor supply at these places had seriously affected their existence and their partial closure threatened to create substantial unemployment in the state.

He said the state had implemented the SC order in toto but its side effects were hurting business. However, he said, the ban on sale of liquor in vends within the stipulated distance from highways and service lanes would be implemented. At the same time, he announced more stringent police action to check drunken driving.

Liquor is a huge business in Punjab. The recent auction of vends had generated Rs 2,600 crore in revenue. Punjab is the second state to circumvent the SC order after Kerala, which incidentally has the highest consumption of liquor in the country.

Meanwhile, a disappointed Harman Sidhu of NGO ArriveSafe, who had petitioned for a ban on liquor sale along highways, termed it illegal and contempt of court. — TNS