Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on Wednesday issued notice to Punjab government on a petition filed challenging the recent Bill passed…
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Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on Wednesday issued notice to Punjab government on a petition filed challenging the recent Bill passed by the state Assembly allowing the sale of liquor at hotels, clubs and restaurants, located within 500 metres of state and national highways.
Taking up the petition filed by the Chandigarh based NGO Arrive Safe Society, a vacation Bench of the HC comprising Justice Anita Chaudhry and Justice HS Madan issued notice of motion to the Punjab government for July 24.The HC Bench also issued notice regarding stay as well.
The petitioner has sought quashing of the Punjab Excise (Amendment Bill) 2017 passed by the Legislative Assembly on June 22 that allows allow the sale of liquor circumventing the Supreme Court (SC) order, banning the sale of liquor at hotels, clubs and restaurants, located within 500 metres of the highways.
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According to the petitioner, Punjab government passed the bill with the sole motive to dilute the SC order and facilitate sale of liquor along highways. The state’s version that amendment was done to clear ‘ambiguity’ is a political response with an ulterior motive to dismantle the foundation of the verdict, added the petitioner.
Saying that the said Bill is against the dictum of the judgments passed by SC, Arrive Safe Society president Harman Singh Sidhu through his petition has sought stay on the implementation of the Bill during the pendency of the present petition.
It was Sidhu's petition on which, first the high court and later on the Apex Court banned the sale of liquor at hotels, clubs and restaurants, located within 500 metres of the national and state highways.
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