The Supreme Court Friday modified its order banning liquor vends within 500 metres on national and state highways, reducing the distance to 220 metres in areas having a population of up to 20,000.
A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar, however, made it clear that its December 15, 2016 order banning such vends within 500 metres of highways shall remain operative for areas other than specified in today’s order.
The bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and L N Rao, said that the verdict was given keeping in mind road accidents owing to drunken driving. It clarified that licences given to liquor vendors prior to the December 15 judgement would be valid up to the 30th of September this year.
The other liquor vends will have to be shut down from tomorrow as per the December 15 judgement.