High Court Notice to Chandigarh Administration Over Liquor Vend Proximity to Religious Sites
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Chandigarh administration in response to a plea from the 504 MIG Residents Welfare Association, Sector-61. The plea demands an increase in the distance between liquor vending sites and religious places, particularly focusing on the Bibi Bhani Gurdwara Sahib in the Housing Board MIG Complex, Sector 61.
The bench, comprising acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji, has set a deadline of July 10 for the UT administration to respond to the plea. The association seeks the quashing of provisions in the UT excise policy that permit liquor vends to operate within a 50-meter proximity to religious sites. They argue that this distance is too short and contrary to morality, public health, and order.
Citing an example from Haryana, where a 150-meter distance is mandated, the plea emphasizes the importance of ensuring devotees do not encounter drunkards on their way to religious places. Additionally, the plea seeks a restraint order against the reopening of the liquor vend near the Bibi Bhani Gurdwara Sahib for the year 2024-25.
The court’s intervention underscores the significance of balancing commercial interests with the sensitivities and sentiments of religious communities.
