The closed liquor shops on National Highway (NH) stretches falling within the limits of cities and towns are yet to be reopened in Odisha.
While several other State Governments have already allowed reopening of such liquor shops, the Odisha Government has not yet to come out with any notification extending such permission.
The Odisha Government is still continuing consultations with legal experts on the issue while the Governments of Delhi, West Bengal and Kerala have already notified for reopening the liquor shops.
Even though the Odisha Government has set a target of Rs 3,300 crore of excise revenue, it is delaying a decision on the ground of consultations with senior legal experts on the order of the Supreme Court on reopening of the liquor shops.
The State Government closed down as many as 1,167 liquor shops from midnight of March 31 this year following the pronouncement of the apex court’s order proscribing liquor sale along Highways on December 15 last year. It was apprehended that the State would sustain a loss Rs 1,200 crore of excise revenue in 2017-18 due to such an order.
When several other State Governments, in a bid to avoid closure of liquor shops in the wake of a Supreme Court order, notified the State Highways passing through the urban areas as “Urban Roads”, the Odisha Government followed the move and renamed such State Highways as “Urban Roads”.
Besides, the Works Department also classified all road sections falling within the limits block and tehsil headquarters as "Urban Roads". So, the shops on the side of the SHs were allowed to open. But the notification did not cover the NHs passing through the urban areas.
later, the Supreme Court on July 11 this year clarified that its original order to ban sale liquor within 500 meter of highways was aimed at vends along roads connecting cities and not along the stretches that fall inside the cities and towns governed by municipal bodies.
"The purpose of the directions contained in the order dated 15 December 2016 is to deal with the sale of liquor along and in proximity of highways properly understood which provide connectivity between cities, towns and villages. The order does not prohibit licensed establishments within municipal areas. This clarification shall govern other municipal areas as well. We have considered it appropriate to issue this clarification to set at rest any ambiguity ...," stated an order by a Supreme Court Bench headed by former Chief Justice JS Khehar.
Now, it is expected that the Odisha Government would follow what other State Governments have done by lifting the ban on the liquor shops along the NH stretches soon, feel officials.