Jharkhand Prohibits Sale Of Liquor Near Religious Places, Schools And Colleges

The Jharkhand Police on Tuesday presented a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the Jharkhand High Court, prohibiting the establishment of liquor shops near religious places, schools and colleges in the state. The officials presented the SOP during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) aimed at curbing the sale of intoxicants in the state. During the hearing, the court emphasised that the proximity of these establishments to sensitive areas will be a key consideration when granting licences to sell liquor.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice SS Prasad and Justice AK Rai heard the PIL, during which the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was presented by the police. The SOP outlines that licences for bars and restaurants will only be granted after ensuring they are not located near religious sites, educational institutions or other sensitive areas. Furthermore, existing licences will be reviewed under this new guideline and permissions will only be granted after a thorough investigation of law and order conditions.

The court also requested suggestions from the petitioner regarding the SOP. Advocate Naveen Kumar, representing the petitioner, argued that bars and restaurants in residential areas often lack proper parking facilities, with vehicles being parked on the roadside, which he deemed inappropriate. The next hearing in this case is scheduled for August 29.

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In an earlier hearing, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) informed the court about the development of an app, designed to detect opium cultivation in Jharkhand. The app's password has been shared with the state government, enabling them to locate and destroy illegal opium crops in the state.

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The court had earlier instructed the police and NCB to cooperate in eradicating opium cultivation using satellite mapping. Additionally, the police were directed to prepare an SOP for controlling the illegal sale of liquor and narcotics such as opium, hashish and ganja. The court initiated this hearing suo motu after taking cognizance of news reports on narcotics sales in Ranchi.