Close X
Sunday, November 24, 2024
ADVT 
India

Punjab Assembly Passes Amendment To Allow Serving Liquor In Hotels On Highway

IANS, 23 Jun, 2017 01:14 PM
    The Punjab Assembly on Friday passed a Bill to enable hotels, restaurants and other notified places near highways in the state to serve liquor.
     
    However, restriction on opening of liquor vends within 500 metres of highways will remain as per the directions of the Supreme Court issued in December last year.
     
    The state Cabinet had on Monday okayed a proposal to amend Section 26-A of the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, for fixing location of liquor vends on national and state highways, thus removing hotels, restaurants and clubs from the restrictions on serving liquor within 500 metres of those roads.
     
    The Punjab Excise (Amendment) Bill, which was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brahm Mohindra, was passed by the Assembly on the concluding day of its Budget session.
     
    In December last year, the Supreme Court had ordered that liquor vends located within 500 metres on national and state highways, should be closed down.
     
    Later, it had modified the order reducing the distance to 220 metres in areas having a population of up to 20,000.
     
    However, the apex court had made it clear that its December 15, 2016 order banning such vends within 500 metres of highways shall remain operative for other areas.
     
     
    “The judicial pronouncement is aimed at checking drunken driving and the resultant losses. However, there are large number of hotels, restaurants, clubs and other enclosed notified places where liquor is sold for in situ consumption,” the Bill states.
     
    “These are a part of the hospitality and tourism industry which generates substantial employment in the state. Absence of liquor in hotels, restaurants, clubs etc has seriously affected their existence and even their partial closure may create substantial unemployment in the state,” it said.
     
    The Bill aims to ensure that hotels, restaurants, clubs and other notified places are allowed to serve alcohol only for consumption within their premises “to secure the livelihood” of a large segment of the state’s population.
     
    However, sale of liquor shall be permitted only through licensed vends which shall not be located within 500 metres from the outer range of the national or state highway or a service lane of those roads.
     
    Also, liquor vends shall neither be directly visible nor accessible from highways.
     
    The Bill mentions that notwithstanding anything contained in any judgment, decree or order of any court, tribunal or authority, every club, hotel, restaurant or any notified place having a licence shall be entitled to serve liquor within the premises located near national or state highways.
     
    The SAD-BJP alliance and AAP members were not present in the Assembly when this Bill and other legislative businesses were taken up as they had staged a walkout during the Question hour.
     
     
    Amid chaos in Friday’s session, the Assembly also passed other amendments, such as one to The Punjab Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, which previously empowered officials to auction of a farmer under debt.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    B.C. Greens-NDP Call Joint News Conference To Make ‘Significant' Announcement

    B.C. Greens-NDP Call Joint News Conference To Make ‘Significant' Announcement
    NDP Leader John Horgan and Green Leader Andrew Weaver will attend the news conference at the provincial legislature.

    B.C. Greens-NDP Call Joint News Conference To Make ‘Significant' Announcement

    Kabaddi Player Maninder Singh Mindi Hacks Woman To Death In Ludhiana, Shoots Video With Her Body

    Kabaddi Player Maninder Singh Mindi Hacks Woman To Death In Ludhiana, Shoots Video With Her Body
    After killing the victim, Singh informed the police control room, Deputy Commissioner Police, Ludhiana, Dhruman Nimbley said.

    Kabaddi Player Maninder Singh Mindi Hacks Woman To Death In Ludhiana, Shoots Video With Her Body

    Pakistani-Origin Doctor Naveed Yasin Who Saved Manchester Victims Abused, Called A Terrorist

    Pakistani-Origin Doctor Naveed Yasin Who Saved Manchester Victims Abused, Called A Terrorist
    Dr Naveed Yasin was called a "brown, P*** b******" and a "terrorist" by a man in a van after spending two days operating on people injured in the Manchester Arena blast

    Pakistani-Origin Doctor Naveed Yasin Who Saved Manchester Victims Abused, Called A Terrorist

    'Supercop' KPS Gill Laid To Rest With Full State Honours

    'Supercop' KPS Gill Laid To Rest With Full State Honours
    As Gill's son and daughter lit the pyre, the three forces did the honours as a mark of respect to the man credited with ridding Punjab of terrorism and restoring peace.

    'Supercop' KPS Gill Laid To Rest With Full State Honours

    Punjab Minister Rana Gurjit Singh's Former Cook Bags Rs. 26 Crore Mining Bid, CM Orders Judicial Inq

    Punjab Minister Rana Gurjit Singh's Former Cook Bags Rs. 26 Crore Mining Bid, CM Orders Judicial Inq
    The auction of 89 sand mines eventually took place on May 19 and 20. It helped the Punjab mining department generate revenue of nearly 1,000 crores, many of the bids reportedly 20 times higher than previous years

    Punjab Minister Rana Gurjit Singh's Former Cook Bags Rs. 26 Crore Mining Bid, CM Orders Judicial Inq

    Kerala Congress Youth Activist Butchers Calf In Public To Protest Cattle Slaughter Ban

    Kerala Congress Youth Activist Butchers Calf In Public To Protest Cattle Slaughter Ban
    Opposition have organised “beef festivals” to protest against the Centre’s recent decision to ban sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter.

    Kerala Congress Youth Activist Butchers Calf In Public To Protest Cattle Slaughter Ban