The Supreme Court on Thursday (January 25) directed amicus curiae to submit a detailed report on how many toddy licenses have been cancelled and how many toddy shops are operating on the highways in Kerala.

The bench comprising of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud gave the directions on the plea filed by Kerala Toddy Shop Licensee Association seeking exemption of Toddy from the ban imposed by the apex court on sale of alcohol within 500 metres of a highway.

During the proceedings, the bench asked the Kerala State’s counsel: “Have you caught any person who is intoxicated by toddy while driving?”

The bench posed the question after it was apprised by the Kerala State’s counsel that ban which was imposed pertains to drunk driving and Toddy is mentioned as Alcohol under Kerala Akbari Act.

The amicus countered the counsel by stating: “Toddy is also made by households. And because of liquor ban order, many people who sell toddy is facing problems,” and apprises the bench about the number of toddy shops operating in Kerala.

—India Legal Bureau