Check Age of Consumers at Liquor Shops: Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Reply on Plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a reply from the Centre on a petition seeking direction for an effective protocol and comprehensive policy to enforce mandatory age verification at liquor sales points.

The petition said that the excise policies in various states set legal age limits for the consumption or possession of alcohol, but there is a lack of a robust mechanism to verify the age of consumers or buyers at points of sale or consumption.

The petition, which also opposed the doorstep delivery of liquor, argued that such a service would contribute to the development of alcohol consumption habits among underage individuals. The matter was heard by a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan.

'Age of Consumers at Liquor Shops Should Be Checked'

The counsel for the petitioner, the NGO "Community Against Drunken Driving," contended that there is no effective system in place to verify the age of consumers or buyers at liquor stores, bars, pubs, and similar establishments. They emphasized that a strong policy to address this issue could play a significant role in reducing drunken driving and curbing underage alcohol consumption.

The petitioner proposed that individuals who sell, serve, or provide alcohol to minors should face a penalty of Rs 50,000, a three-month jail term, or both.

The petition has named the Centre, all states, and Union Territories as respondents.

"The petitioner understands that many of the respondents herein are considering proposals to allow doorstep delivery of alcohol. If doorstep delivery is allowed it would facilitate easy access to alcohol for young people and will hasten the formation of the habit of alcohol consumption among underage persons," the plea, filed through advocate Vipin Nair, said.

SC Issues Notice To Centre

The bench said it would issue notice to the Centre seeking its response to the plea.

"Issue notice, restricted to respondent number one (Union of India)," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing after three weeks.

The petition has called for a directive to formulate and implement a policy mandating age verification at all outlets serving alcohol.

It requests that all such outlets be required to verify, check, and maintain records of individuals to whom alcohol is served.

Additionally, the plea seeks an order to establish an effective protocol and mechanism for enforcing mandatory age checks to prevent underage drinking at alcohol sales points, such as liquor stores, pubs, bars, and restaurants, through biometric age verification using government-issued identity cards.

The petition also referenced data collected by the petitioner in 2017, which indicated a 20 percent increase in accidents caused by drunken driving.