SC confirms order on dry highways

THOUSANDS OF BARS AND PUBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY — INCLUDING 34 AT DLF CYBERHUB — ARE LIKELY TO LOSE THEIR LIQUOR LICENCES

Watering holes at DLF Cyberhub in Gurgaon and hotels at Aerocity in New Delhi will be forced to go dry immediately in view of a Supreme Court decision to uphold a previous order prohibiting the sale of liquor near highways across the country.

The apex court on Friday maintained that its verdict banning the sale of alcoholic beverages at establishments located within 500 metres of state and national highways will extend to hotels, pubs and bars too. Consequently, thousands of bars and pubs across the country — including 34 at DLF Cyberhub — are likely to lose their liquor licences.

Although the bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar refused to drastically amend the order prohibiting liquor at all outlets within the prescribed distance, it introduced a partial modifica metres in areas with a population of less than 20,000.

The verdict came on multiple petitions filed against a previous order passed on December 15, 2016. The bench, also comprising justices DY Chandrachud and LN Rao, rejected the applicants’ request to extend the Sunday deadline.

As per the order, no establishment that sells or serves alcohol can operate in violation of the apex court directive from April 1.

However, it allowed some relaxation in states like Telangana and Maharashtra because their excise year was yet to end. The ban will be enforced from