The recent Supreme Court order banning liquor shops is queer , to say the least. The honourable bench has decided that all establishments that serve liquor in any form, are to be relocated to beyond 220m from a state/ national highway.
I find this judgement very strange, for the following reasons:
1. Sikkim and Meghalaya roads are exempt due to " topological reasons". Strange. Which really means that you can happily drink and drive in these states, because nature wants you to!
2. Keeping the shops away from direct line of sight of the drinkers, is understandable. But it is a well known fact that seasoned drinkers seek "watering holes" , no matter where they are located. All it could take is a little de-tour, and you could fill your gullet with Ethyl Alcohol. And continue with the damage.
3. In making this ruling, the SC has effectively admitted that they are stepping on the toes of the Legislature, for the umpteenth time. Such rulings are to be done by the Governments , and the fact that the SC is forced to do it, in reaction to a petition, is a sad commentary on the total failure of the state governments and their police force in catching errant drunken drivers, and punishing them severely.
4.The small business owners , owning these shops and their lakhs of employees, are effectively paying for imbecile police force. Nowhere has the SC, in it's ruling , pulled up the state governments or the police forces, asking them why they fail to strictly enforce the rules, and punish the offenders. Effectively, the SC is admitting that it is futile to expect the police to keep law and order.
Your Honour(s), whichever way I look at this judgement, it appears to be more like a knee-jerk reaction, rather than a though-out and holistic approach to reducing road accidents. I this really a sober judgement, Sir(s)?
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