PIL in SC seeks revoking order on sale of liquor

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to states to disallow sale of liquor in order to prevent chaos being created due to mass gathering around shops which might defeat the purpose of the national lockdown, clamped to contain COVID-19.

Advocate Rajeev Kumar Ranjan sought a stay on the operation of the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs of May 1 that allowed the sale of liquor. This made people throng to shops, thus flouting social distancing norms.

The petitioner contended allowing sale of alcohol was clearly infringement of Article 21 of the Constitution, which provided the right to life to every person throughout the country. "The order for allowing mass gathering in such numbers could affect the citizens of the country and their family members and by and large the whole society," his plea claimed.

It contended that the situation, where thousands of citizens gathered without any social distancing measures, could be lethal in terms of human lives and all the advantage of the lockdown would be lost.

The petitioner wanted the top court order to revoke the order allowing sale of alcohol till the pendency of lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was over and normalcy in the society returned.

He also pointed out that the number of positive cases across the country have been rising and the downward trend was yet to set in. In such circumstances, thousands of thirsty tipplers crowded liquor shops, forcing the police resort to lathicharge and shut shops in some places.

Acting on a separate PIL, the top court had, on Friday, May 8, said that states may consider indirect sale and home delivery of liquor due to apparent failure to enforce social distancing at shops.