The Rajasthan High Court has taken a strict stand on rising drunk-driving accidents and has ordered the State government to remove or shift all liquor shops located within 500 meters of national and state highways. The government has been given two months to comply. This order applies everywhere—whether the shops fall within municipal limits, local bodies, or any development authority areas.
A bench of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Sanjeet Purohit criticized the State for misusing the limited freedom given by the Supreme Court in an earlier judgment, and said the government had made a “mockery” of the Supreme Court’s directions.
The case was based on a petition highlighting the alarming spike in drunk-driving cases in Rajasthan in 2025. Courts have long held that liquor shops near highways must be tightly regulated for public safety.
The bench referred to the Supreme Court’s well-known decision in State of Tamil Nadu v. K. Balu, where the Court had noted the huge number of road accidents caused by alcohol and speeding. The Supreme Court had then banned liquor shops within 500 meters of highways, though it later clarified that shops within municipal areas need not be removed. It left it to state governments to decide how far this rule should apply to areas under urban local bodies.
In Rajasthan’s case, an affidavit from the Excise Department revealed that the State had allowed 1,102 liquor shops to operate along highways by classifying them as being inside municipal or local body limits—bringing in revenue of over ₹2,221 crore. The High Court said this showed the State had prioritized revenue over public safety, defeating the purpose of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The Court stressed that saving lives cannot be compromised for financial gain. It noted that alcohol-related accidents had reached such dangerous levels that the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution was being threatened. The judges said the State had “miserably failed” to uphold the protections intended by the Supreme Court.
The Court also warned that simply expanding municipal boundaries to justify keeping liquor shops near highways goes against the core purpose of the Supreme Court’s mandate. If every stretch of highway is treated as “urbanized,” the entire safety rule becomes meaningless.
Final Directions:
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All liquor shops within 500 meters of national or state highways must be removed or relocated within two months.
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No boards, signs, or advertisements about liquor should be visible from the highways, even after relocation.
The matter will next be heard on January 26, 2025.
