Decision pending on ban of liquor shops at highways

Vijayawada, March 13: As we know that,Previously. The govt had made a decision to remove the bars and liquor shops at Highways.With the April 1 deadline, set by the court, to close down the liquor shops along the State and national highways nearing, the State government is yet to decide on removing the shops.

The government is mulling over options and likely to announce the action plan in a day or two.

It could cancel licences for the shops or renew them by allowing the shops to be relocated at 500 metres from the highways without violating the court orders.

The licences already given to run shops abutting the highways have validity up to June this year. Allowing this might infringe on the Supreme Court orders.

Some licence-holders have approached the courts on the previous directions.

The government has decided that it would not move the court on allowing the licensees to continue business until June. The Supreme Court had already turned down the pleas in this regard from other States recently.

Inaction by the government on either cancelling licences or allowing the shops to be relocated at 500 metres away from the highways has led to some sort of confusion and delay in announcing the liquor policy.