PANJIM: With only a few days left for Supreme Court’s (SC) order banning sale of liquor along the highways to come into force, the liquor traders who will be affected by the ban are keeping their fingers crossed on the review petition filed by the Maharashtra Liquor Traders Association which will come up for hearing in the apex court on Monday.
The traders are pinning their hopes on the review petition’s outcome which may also help Goa government to spell out its plans.
The Goa Liquor Traders’ Association (GLTA) on Sunday held a meeting with its members and has decided to wait till Monday, when SC will hear the review petition.
“Maharashtra Liquor Traders’ Association along with Government has approached SC with a review petition and has also sought clarity on its order. The matter would be heard on Monday,” GLTA president Dattaprasad Naik said after the meeting.
He said that any statement by Court on Monday will also help the Goa government to work in that particular direction. Government is also waiting for the hearing, Naik said.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has already issued directions to the Excise Department on Monday based on SC judgment on December 15, 2016. “I have taken all legal advice and based on that, necessary directions would be issued to the department on Monday,” he had said.
GLTA has already urged the Chief Minister to file a review petition in SC and also sought to denotify State highways into Major District Roads to provide relief to over 400 liquor outlets located within 500 metres of State highways.
As per the SC order, all liquor shops located within 500 metres of the National and State highways are barred from continuing their business from April 1, 2017. The order asks the respective state governments not to renew licences of such outlets from the new financial year.
