New Delhi: The West Bengal government is seeking legal opinions as to whether defying the recent Supreme Court's decision, banning liquor shops within 500 meters of a national or state highway, may constitute as contempt of court while other state governments are facing uncertainty regarding the ban.
The Punjab Hotel Association in Chandigarh has decided to approach the SC in an effort to counter the decision. However, in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, liquor shops within the specified distance have been shut down.
In Kolkata, a top law officer told The Times of India, "De-notification of state highways can be a possible solution. But this is fraught with legalities. On Friday, when the SC passed the order, these were state highways and fell within the order's ambit. Hence the legal consultations."
Estimations have put nearly 10,000 people, who are currently employed in 1,800 liquor outlets off highways in West Bengal, are expected to lose their jobs.
Sukhbir Singh, who runs Sher-e-Punjab hotel in Kolaghat, off NH-6, told TOI, "I do not understand the legalities or how far we can appeal against it. It has had a huge impact on business. If the shops have to close down, I don't know what will happen to the people who are working." He, however, feels the state "will consider our problems".
In Chandigarh, Punjab Hotel Association president Satish Arora told TOI, "Hotels on the highways may go out of business because they can't serve liquor to customers." The hoteliers have demanded that at least two years time needs to be given to make the shift and that the central government should compensate them for their losses.
Goa has, however, rejected the ban after the state government failed to work out a rehabilitation plan, raising tensions among liquor vendors and making them angry.
