The Supreme Court on Friday asked States to consider non-direct contact or online sales and home delivery of liquor during the lockdown period to prevent the spread of coronavirus on account of crowding at the shops.
A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and BR Gavai, hearing the matter through video conferencing, disposed of the plea challenging the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 1, allowing sales of liquor through direct contact during the lockdown period.
“We are not inclined to entertain this petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. The petition is dismissed. However, it shall be open for the concerned State Government to consider non-direct sale including on-line sale/home delivery of liquor to facilitate social distancing,” the Bench said.
During the hearing, advocate Sai Deepak, appearing for petitioner Guruswamy Nataraj, argued that there are 70,000 liquor vends across the country and over five crore people have till now purchased liquor from these shops.
He said that due to social distancing norms not being followed at the liquor vends and shops, there has been rise in Covid-19 cases. Deepak contended that the results, which have been achieved in over a month-long nationwide lockdown will be nullified as the coronavirus graph, which was earlier flattening, is now showing a sharp rise.
He sought issuance of fresh MHA guidelines or directions for prohibition of sale of liquor at vends and shops through direct contact during the lockdown period or till the National Disaster Management Authority announces India to be Covid-19 free.
To this, the bench said that discussion is already going on for allowing online sale of liquor or its home delivery. Deepak said he only wanted that life of a common man should not be affected due to this direct sale from vends and MHA should issue clarificatory guidelines and states should abide by it.
The bench then directed the state to consider online sales or home delivery of liquor during the lockdown period and disposed of the matter. The plea, filed through advocate Anindita Mitra, said that media reports indicate that social distancing norms at and around the liquor vends/shops are being given a complete go-by in these areas, leading to alarming situations.