Allahabad High Court dismisses PIL seeking framing of policy for home delivery of liquor

Credits: Hindustan Times

By - Sameeksha Negi*

A PIL was filed by Lawyer Gopal Krishna Pandey, seeking framing of policy by the state to allow the online sale and home delivery of liquor. The petitioner submitted before the court that the Madras High Court has permitted online sale of liquor.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Subhash Chandra Sharma dismissed the PIL stating that it was a policy matter of the state, hence it was not inclined to allow online sale and home delivery of liquor. The bench observed that “Finding the subject matter as a policy of the state we are not inclined to allow the online sale of liquor”. 

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It was submitted on behalf of the petitioner that certain states have issued notifications to allow online sale of liquor pursuant to the observation made by the Supreme court for considering non-direct sale, including online/home delivery of liquor to avoid overcrowding and to maintain social distancing norms in view of the pandemic. 

It was argued on behalf of the state government that the prayer made was in reference to a policy decision and the government at present was not inclined to allow the online sale of liquor. The permission to sell liquor online by a few states was to avoid overcrowding at shops when the pandemic was at its peak.

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*Sameeksha Negi has completed LL.M. from IMS Unison University, Dehradun this year.