The Supreme Court today refused to enterain a plea seeking complete ban on alcohol in the country, saying the courts cannot venture into the policy domain of states.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri and N V Ramana said framing of National Liquor Policy is part of the Directive Principles of State Policy under the Constitution and this was the area where the Executive have all the rights.
Ashwini Upadhaya, a lawyer and Delhi BJP spokesperson who had filed the plea, withdrew his petition saying he would submit a representation to the Union Health Ministry for framing of the National Liquor Policy as per the spirit of the Constitution.
Besides some liquor vendors' associations, states like
Kerala, Punjab and Telangana have approached the apex court seeking modification of the judgement.
The apex court had ordered a ban on all liquor shops along the national as well as the state highways across the country and had made it clear that licences of existing shops will not be renewed after March 31 next year.
The verdict had come on a PIL alleging that nearly 1.42 lakh people died per year in road mishaps and that the drunken driving is a major contributor.
It had also directed that all signages indicating the presence of liquor vends will be prohibited along national and state highways.
