Liquor ban on highway: SC relaxes distance from 500m to 220m for less populated areas

Supreme Court on Friday relaxed the minimum distance from 500 m to 220 m for liquor vendors from the highway in areas where the population is less than 20,000. 

For areas with a larger population, the court said its December 15 order banning liquor vends up to 500 metres from national, state highways stands.

The apex court also clarified that the ban on selling liquor on highway includes bars and restaurants serving alcoholic beverages.  

The distance relaxation has also been extended to hill states of Sikkim, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh due to the geographical constraints of their region, the court said. 

Read | Liquor ban in 500 metre distance on NH: SC says life is more important than liquor