Close X
Friday, November 1, 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

    Cattle Can't Be Sold In Market For Slaughter, Indian Govt Bans Practices That Are 'Cruel To Animals'

    Cattle Can't Be Sold In Market For Slaughter, Indian Govt Bans Practices That Are 'Cruel To Animals'
    In a decision that will have far-reaching consequences on animal husbandry and trade associated with the sector, the Centre has banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter across the nation, including North-East and Kerala.

    Cattle Can't Be Sold In Market For Slaughter, Indian Govt Bans Practices That Are 'Cruel To Animals'

    Indian-American Tourist Allegedly Raped In Delhi Hotel By Merchant Navy Official

    Indian-American Tourist Allegedly Raped In Delhi Hotel By Merchant Navy Official
    India brought in more stringent laws against sexual offenders after the fatal gang-rape of a student in Delhi in December 2012, but they have failed to stem the tide of violence against women across the country.

    Indian-American Tourist Allegedly Raped In Delhi Hotel By Merchant Navy Official

    12-year-old girl gang-raped, filmed in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki

    12-year-old girl gang-raped, filmed in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki
    A 12-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and gang-raped at a village here, with the accused men also filming the act on their mobile phone, police said on Friday.

    12-year-old girl gang-raped, filmed in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki

    UP Highway Horror: Preliminary Medical Report Rules Out Gang Rape Of Four Women

    UP Highway Horror: Preliminary Medical Report Rules Out Gang Rape Of Four Women
    Gautam Budh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Luv Kumar on Friday said that no proof of rape has been found in the medical reports of the Jewar-Bulandshahr highway gang-rape victims.

    UP Highway Horror: Preliminary Medical Report Rules Out Gang Rape Of Four Women

    Congress Leader Shashi Tharoor Files Defamation Case Against Republic TV's Arnab Goswami

    Congress Leader Shashi Tharoor Files Defamation Case Against Republic TV's Arnab Goswami
     The Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram has also sought a direction from the high court to restrain the TV channel from broadcasting any show relating to the death of his wife till the investigation is completed by the Delhi Police.

    Congress Leader Shashi Tharoor Files Defamation Case Against Republic TV's Arnab Goswami

    Arvind Kejriwal To Visit Punjab On May 29

    Arvind Kejriwal To Visit Punjab On May 29
    Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is set to visit Punjab on May 29 to meet party leaders and volunteers, over two months after the party received a drubbing in the Punjab Assembly polls.

    Arvind Kejriwal To Visit Punjab On May 29