The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the Delhi Government's response on two separate pleas by residents and shopkeepers seeking to cancel a licence to operate a liquor shop near a residential area in Shalimar Bagh here, observing that such vends cannot be near schools and religious institutions.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to the Delhi government's Excise Department on both the petitions and asked the authorities to file replies along with a map of the area.
The court listed both the cases for further hearing on January 18.
The court orally observed that whenever any liquor shop is opened, it cannot be near places like schools, religious institutions as there are several norms to be followed while granting licences.
During the hearing, Delhi government standing counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi submitted that following a complaint, an enquiry has been conducted in the presence of locals and RWA people and there was no violation of provisions of the law in grant of licence to the liquor vend owner. The court was hearing two petitions filed by Residents Welfare Association of Block U and V of Shalimar Bagh and few shopkeepers of the area seeking to cancel the licence of a liquor shop which has been opened in a local shopping complex which is occupied by daily necessity shops.
Advocate K C Mittal, representing the RWA, drew the court's attention to an earlier order of the high court prohibiting grant of liquor licence in residential areas.
He said the opening of liquor shop will affect children, women and elderly persons as the open space will be occupied by hawkers and criminals causing serious problems to residents.
Meanwhile, in another petition filed by residents of Meet Nagar in northeast Delhi, the Delhi government informed Justice Rekha Palli that an inspection was conducted and the shortest traversable distance of the proposed liquor vend and a government school is measured to be 81 meters.
The authorities said it has been recommended that the liquor licence may not be granted to the proposed liquor vend at Main Wazirabad Road, Meet Nagar, being not fulfilling the requirements under the Delhi Excised Rules, 2010.
As per the rules, no liquor shop can be opened at a distance of less than 100 metre from educational and religious institutions.