Mumbai: The State government told the Bombay High Court on Friday that it is unable to produce any notification issued by it that classify roads in Maharashtra as State highways. To add to the embarrassment, the government counsel added that the notification couldn’t be found online either, despite a Google search.
A Division Bench comprising Justices S.M. Kemkar and M.S. Sonak, which was hearing pleas connected to the fallout of the Supreme Court order banning sale of liquor within 500 metres of National and State highways, had asked the government to submit a notification or document declaring or classifying roads as State highways.
The petitions were filed by by liquor stores, bars and restaurants challenging the notices prohibiting sale of liquor issued to them by the State Excise Department, in compliance with the SC order. The petitioners’ argument is that besides banning sale of liquor along national highways, the government had also ordered shops located within 500 metres of arterial roads to be closed. They claimed that these roads are termed ‘mainways’ in the State’s road development plan, and can’t be termed as State highways. The petitions said there are close to 300 such mainways in the State. More than one lakh liquor stores, bars and restaurants across Maharashtra were asked to stop serving or selling liquor, including in the vicinity of these mainways.
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Irked with the government’s response, Justice Kemkar said the court “will be forced to pass adverse orders” if it fails to produce the notification by June 12, the next hearing date. “We would like the State Advocate General to appear in the matter and see if the notification can be secured,” Justice Kemkar told the government counsel.