The Punjab High Court disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) praying for removal of liquor vends and other places that are situated within a distance of 50 Meters of National and State Highways.
The PIL is filed by one Simranjeet Singh.
The Petitioner prayed for removal of liquor vends and other places, where liquor is being served/sold/supplied, that are situated within a distance of 50 Meters of National and State Highways, in contravention of the judgment rendered by the Supreme Court on 15.12.2016 in The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Secretary Home, Prohibition & Excise Dept. and others Vs. K. Balu and another, (Civil Appeal Nos. 12164-12166).
But the Deputy Advocate General, Punjab, entering appearance on advance copy, has raised serious objections regarding the antecedents and locus of the petitioner to file this petition, and at the same time, he has placed before the High Court the fact that out of total 79 grievances raised by the petitioner and other persons, before the authorities, 67 have already been resolved and the authorities are in the process of examining all such places, which have been granted licenses of liquor vend, as to whether they are in violation of the Supreme Court judgment in K. Balu’s case (supra).
Arjun Sheoran, Deputy Advocate General, Punjab, on instructions from Deputy Commissioner, Excise, Punjab, submits that the authorities are in the process of examining all these liquor vends and, if so required, would take action against those vends, which are not only in violation of the Supreme Court judgment in K. Balu’s case (supra) but are also contrary to other provisions of law, including the Excise Policy of the State Government.
Taking the aforesaid statement of the State Counsel on record, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli disposed of the Petition.