Won’t file review plea on SC highway liquor sale ban, says Goa CM
PANAJI: In a U turn, the Goa government on Tuesday said it would not approach the Supreme Court for exclusion of liquor outlets in the coastal state from the purview of its order banning sale of liquor along state and national highways.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said it would not be “fair” on the part of his government to approach the top court, but the affected liquor vendors could file a review petition.
Last December, the SC had ordered ban on all liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways across the country, a move aimed at reducing drunken driving and road accidents that claim thousands of lives every year. It had said the licences of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31, 2017.
“I would advice the association of liquor vendors who are affected with the order to file a review petition before the apex court,” the chief minister told reporters.
He said the state government would provide all the necessary support to the liquor trade.
Interestingly, Parsekar had said on February 13 that his government would file a review petition in the top court as the liquor ban order will adversely affect the tourism industry. He had said the Goa should have been made a party while hearing a petition and that they were not taken into confidence.
According to the estimates by the state Excise department, the ban order would affect 3,000 of total 11,000 outlets in the tourist state.
The change of stand by the government came at a time when Goa, which went to polls on February 4, is awaiting results, which will be out on March 11.