Supreme Court clarification on highway liquor ban revives hopes for bar owners

Bengaluru: A day after hopes were dashed for several bar owners across the state following the Karnataka high court dismissing their petition seeking renewal of licenses, a clarification from the Supreme Court has brought cheers to the industry.

The apex court ruling dated December 15, 2016 banning sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways, will not be applicable to bars and other liquor vends that are within municipal areas of a city, stated a clarification posted on its website on Wednesday.

While the news has definitely revived hopes for nearly 2,800 outlets that would have had to relocate in view of the highway liquor ban, the exact method of re-opening remains to be seen but it is most likely to be through a reapplication for a license.

The state government had earlier written to the Centre for denotification of certain stretches of national highways passing through the city's central areas. However, the centre in its reply dated August 14, 2017 had contended that these stretched did not qualify for denotification based on their policy.