The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the State Government to shift all the retail liquor outlets functioning on the sides of national and state highways and service roads. The retail booze outlets in Kerala are run by the State-owned liquor distributor, Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco).
While considering a PIl seeking orders for shifting of liquor outlets from the sides of the NHs and SHs, a division Bench of the High Court comprising acting Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice AM Shafique asked the State Government and Bevco to report back to it within two weeks with details of action taken to shift the liquor shops.
Asking the Government to find out the number of total retail outlets on NHs and SHs, the court observed that these outlets had been causing an increase in road accidents. These were also affecting the peaceful life of the people living in the surroundings, it said. Therefore, these shops should be shifted to more convenient and comparatively deserted areas, the Bench added.
The Court accepted the petitioner’s argument that the roadside retail liquor outlets were making it convenient for vehicle drivers to buy liquor and drive after consuming it. Such shops had also been contributing to problems to smooth flow of traffic as people gathered in large numbers in front of them to buy liquor.
It was pointed out that this problem had worsened after the closure on March 31 of 418 bars without required facilities as the number of boozers depending on retail outlets had increased. According to Bevco, there were 67 liquor outlets on national highways and 69 on State highways in Kerala but the petitioner argued that the actual number was higher than this.
Kerala Excise Minister K Babu said that shifting outlets from the sides of national and State highways and service roads was a complicated problem and any action in this regard might lead to complex legal issues. However, the Government would submit its reply to the court within two weeks, the Minister said.
Babu also said that the Government would file an appeal against the October 31 order of a division bench staying the verdict of a single-judge bench which upheld the Government’s decision to immediately close down the bars at all two-star and three-star hotels. “The Advocate General has already been instructed to file the appeal,” Babu told newsmen.