Allahabad, Aug 11 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL seeking framing of policy to permit online sale of liquor and its home delivery in Uttar Pradesh.

Dismissing a PIL filed by Gopal Krishna Pandey, a high court lawyer, division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Subhash Chandra Sharma observed, "Finding the subject matter as the policy of the state, we are not inclined to allow online sale of liquor."

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The PIL sought direction for framing necessary policy for home delivery of liquor. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that certain state governments have issued notification to allow the delivery of liquor online.

It was in pursuance of the observations made by the Supreme Court to states to consider non-direct sale, including online or home delivery, of liquor to avoid over-crowding and to maintain social distancing norms in terms of COVID-19 guidelines. It was submitted that the Madras High Court had permitted online sale of liquor.

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The chief standing counsel, representing the state government, opposed the petition and submitted that the prayer made is in reference to a policy decision and presently the government is not inclined to allow online sale of the liquor with home delivery.

The permission by a few states to sell liquor online was during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic and it was to avoid over-crowding at shops. There is nothing on record to show over-crowding at the shops in the state and now the peak of Covid and its second phase is gone, the counsel said.

In the PIL, several reasons to allow the sale of liquor were given. Like if liquor is sold online the sale would also increase and it would mean increase in revenue. Secondly, senior citizens or other people who for any reason avoid going to shops would also be facilitated.

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