1,500 liquor shops in the city near highways get notices to down shutters

Following the Supreme Court order, the State Excise Department is issuing notices to 1500 liquor shops to shut down Supreme Court had indicated that July 1 is the last date to comply with the directions, failing which it will be considered contempt of court The State government has written to the Union Land Transport Department to denotify the highways that come within the City limits

The Excise Department has started the process of issuing notices to all 1500 liquor shops, wine stores, bars, restaurants serving liquor, to shut down in compliance with the Supreme Court’s direction to ban sale of alcohol in 500 meter radius surrounding the state and national highways.  

The State government has written to the Union Government’s Central land Transport Department to denotify the parts of highway that come under the limits of cities. However, the department has not responded yet. In such a case, noncompliance of SC directions amounts to contempt of court. The last day indicated in the SC directions is July1. Hence the Excise Department has started preparing to issue notices to all 1500 liquor shops and restaurants in the City, reports Kannada Prabha.

All highways in the City start from Vidhana Soudha and General Post Office. Around 1500 liquor shops on Bellary Road, Pune Road, Old Madras Road, Kanakapura Road and Mysore Road will be issued closure notices, said a senior officer from the Excise Department.

If the Union Land Transport Department sanctions the denotification of highways in the City limits, the closure notices will be withdrawn. In case the State’s request is rejected, then the closure becomes inevitable, he said. Lokesh, office bearer of Liquor Traders Association has said that closure of 1500 shops would render around 10,000 workers jobless and has requested that until the decision by Union Government is announced shops should not be closed.