Highway liquor ban: High Court dismisses writ petition by hotels

NEW DELHI: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday dismissed a writ petition filed by hotel association members in Chandigarh for denotification of Madhya Marg.

Hit by the Supreme Court order banning liquor sale along highways, the hoteliers said the UT administration’s decision to maintain Madhya Marg as a highway was discriminatory.

“The petition has been dismissed,” said a hotelier familiar with developments. “Sector 26 and sector 7, which house many hotels, restaurants and bars around Madhya Marg, have been severely hit since the March 31 (Supreme Court) ruling.”

On March 16, Chandigarh denotified 12 highway stretches that pass through the city. NGO Arrive Safe Society moved the high court against the notification, saying it was a means to bypass the apex court’s order. However, this was dismissed by court.

The NGO has approached the Supreme Court, which will hear the matter after the summer break.