This story is from September 8, 2018

HC summons vend owner for serving liquor in cars

HC summons vend owner for serving liquor in cars
Picture used for representational purpose
LUDHIANA: Taking cognizance of the news on a liquor vend on Ferozepur Road putting up a board ‘We serve liquor in cars’, the Punjab and Haryana High court — hearing a plea on liquor vends on highways — has summoned the vend owner and asked the Ludhiana excise and taxation commissioner to submit an ‘action taken report’ (ATR) in the matter.
In its edition on August 7, The Times of India had highlighted that a vend opposite the Verka milk plant on Ludhiana-Ferozepur national highway had installed a board telling prospective customers they could get liquor in their vehicles.
After the news appeared, the vendor had removed the board saying ‘We serve liquor in cars’.
Harman Sidhu — the road safety crusader who had first spotted the board — said during a hearing on petitions filed by them about liquor shops on highways, a double bench of Justice AK Mittal and Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal had summoned the vend owner, Param Wines (NK and company), and asked Ludhiana excise and taxation commissioner to file a written reply. He added that whereas the liquor vend owner would have to explain in a written why he had put up such a board, Ludhiana Excise and Taxation will file a written reply on the action taken against the violator.
The petitioner said the next date of hearing was October 5, and respondents would have to file written replies on that date. He added they had produced a newspaper cutting (TOI news story), and a picture of the violation during the hearing, after which a double bench summoned the vend owner, and Ludhiana excise and taxation commissioner.
Sidhu said the putting up of a board on the highway was a serious issue directly related to road safety. He added he had filed a complaint with Ludhiana police commissioner Dr Sukhchain Gill on August 6, and a few days ago, he got a call from SHO of Sarabha Nagar on the matter. “The SHO told me necessary action had been taken, and the board was removed. But I told the officer that removing the board was not a satisfactory action, and I insisted they take proper legal action against the owner as per the rules,” said Sidhu.

The road safety crusader said putting up such a board was a clear violation of the Excise Act, and the control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act 2002 that states you cannot serve liquor in vehicles. He added that according to rules, one can drink liquor at designated places like a vend, pub, or bar.
PERMISSION FROM NHAI MUST
The petitioner Harman Sidhu said they had filed a petition in the high court that such taverns needed to take permission from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) before starting operations, but none of the vends on highways must have taken permission from NHAI. “Of the 260 liquor vends on national highway, only 17 have approached NHAI, indicating how casual they are about it,” said Sidhu.
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About the Author
Shariq Majeed

Shariq Majeed is a special correspondent with The Times of India’s Ludhiana bureau. He covers health, courts, district administration, crime, environment and politics. He enjoys listening to music, reading, watching cricket and driving.

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