SC : States to denotify highways in cities to permit liquor vendors to function

The Supreme Court has okayed the decision by states to denotify highways passing through cities. Several bars and pubs had to shut shop as highways passed through the cities.

A plea in the Supreme Court was filed challenging the decision of several state government which denotified the highways passing through cities. A challenge was made to the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which had allowed the government to denotify highways through Chandigarh. The court observed that its liquor sale ban is applicable only as long as highways remain highways. With the denotification, they cease to be highways, the court also said.

The Supreme Court said that it would not interfere with the order and rejected the appeal. As a result of this order, state governments can denotify highways that pass through cities and in this turn would mean that liquor vendors can function.

As per the orders of the Supreme Court all liquor vendors, bars and pubs which was located 500 metres from the highway had to shut shop. In Bengaluru almost all shops on MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street had to shut shop as a result of this order. It was said that MG Road forms part of a highway and hence as per the SC order bars and pubs could not function.