SC to hear pleas against ban of liquor shops along highways

The Supreme Court will hear on Wednesday a batch of petitions seeking modification of its December 2016 order banning liquor vends within 500 metres of state and national highways across the country.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and S K Kaul assured on Tuesday a battery of lawyers led by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that it will ensure that the matters are heard on Wednesday.

"If Justice D Y Chandrachud is not available on Wednesday, then I will constitute a separate bench," the CJI said. Rohatgi told the court that the apex court judgement, ordering closure of liquor vends alongside highways, will come into effect from April 1 and this leads to a situation where urgent hearing is needed.

On Tuesday, states like Kerala, Punjab and Telangana have approached the apex court seeking modification of the order. On March 23, the Tamil Nadu government had also moved the top court to extend the time for relocation of retail liquor shops along the highways till the expiry of their licence period i.e up to November 28, 2017.