Liquor ban on highways: Bombay high court refuses to let bars, permit rooms reopen

The Bombay high court on Wednesday refused to allow more than a dozen hotels and permit rooms that had been sealed to reopen.

Bar and permit room owners from Thane, Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara had approached a vacation bench of the court against the Supreme Court’s ban on the sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways on March 31.

The petitioners urged the high court to stay the notices issued by the collector/superintendent of excise directing them to close their businesses with immediate effect.

They claimed that the SC order did not put a blanket ban on such businesses.

They also argued that their premises did not fall within the 500-meter radius but were closed by the authorities anyway. They argued that the closure of their businesses was robbing them of their livelihood.

The petitioners cited and sought parity with a recent order of the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court that had granted relief to some liquor shops owner following a similar plea.

The vacation bench of justices BP Colabawalla and AM Badar, however, pointed out that there was no urgency in the matter and hence, it must be placed before a regular bench of the court.

The bench also suggested that the petitioners approach the Supreme Court for a review of the liquor ban.

The high court is likely to take up the pleas for further hearing on June 7.

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