The Himachal Pradesh high court has directed principal secretary, excise and taxation to the HP government and commissioner, excise and taxation to provide clarity on the liquor vending policy, the mode of measurement of distances, as far as the instructions referred to above are concerned.
Division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Rajiv Sharma passed these orders during the hearing of a public interest litigation registered suo moto by the court on a letter written to the Chief Justice by one Ashok Kumar regarding the liquor vend situated near Girls Senior Secondary School, Paonta Sahib. The petitioner has requested in his letter to issue directions to the authorities to remove the liquor vend.
The court observed that the liquor vending policy followed in the state appears to be lacking in clarity. It is provided that there shall be no such liquor vend within 60 metres of recognized educational instructions, places of worship and inter-district bus stands. The court further observed that how to measure the 60 metres is not clear in the policy. The matter will be listed before the court on November 19 for further hearing.
