Hotels, restaurants, clubs in Punjab can sell alcohol on highways after cabinet amends law

The Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, has decided to amend Section 26-A of Punjab Excise Act, 1914 to tackle to the issue of liquor ban on national highways .

The amendment to the act means hotels, restaurants and clubs to serve alcohol within 500 meters of highways. However, no retail vend would be opened within 500 meter of the national and state highways.

The official release, however, said that these restrictions would not apply to the hotels, restaurants and clubs situated on national and state highways.

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The Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, gave a go-ahead to the draft amendment bill, 2017, in this regard, to be tabled during the current Budget session for enactment.

The Cabinet gave its formal approval to the budgetary proposals to be presented by Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal in the state Assembly tomorrow. The Congress government will present its maiden budget today.

The Supreme Court had ordered a ban on all liquor shops on national as well as state highways across the country in December last year. The sale of liquor had taken a hit in many states following the Supreme Court's ban. Hotel and restaurant owners have filed review petitions in the Supreme Court seeking exemption from the order. 

The Supreme Court said in May that it could announce modifications to the order in the July second week, according to a Times of India report.