Punjab brings liquor back on highways

AMENDMENT TO LAW AIMS TO SIDESTEP SC BAN ON WATERING HOLES WITHIN 500 METRES OF STATE AND NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

The Punjab assembly on Friday amended an existing excise law to change the definition of “liquor sale”, creating a loophole aimed at sidestepping a Supreme Court ban on watering holes within 500 metres of state and national highways.

The Chandigarh administration and the Rajasthan government had redesignated state highways as district roads to ensure that highway liquor shops in their jurisdictions are not affected by the court verdict passed in December last year.

The Punjab Excise Amendment Bill, 2017 introduces two clauses — 18-a and 19-a — to differentiate between ‘sale’ and ‘supply’ of liquor.

While the first clause defines sale of liquor as “transfer of consideration by a liquor vend for consumption by a purchaser at a place other than its premises”, clause 19-a terms supply of liquor as “provision of liquor for consideration at clubs, restaurants, hotels and other places on the basis of licences issued on the condition that it shall be consumed within their premises”.

In other words, catering establishments will be allowed to provide liquor to customers as long as it is consumed on their premises.

The legislation then goes to add that licensed hotels, clubs and restaurants will be entitled to continue supplying liquor even if they are located on state and national highways — notwithstanding any judgment or decree passed by a court or tribunal in that regard.

CONTINUED ON P 6