A petition has been moved in Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Delhi government to make a proper policy to start online sale and home delivery of liquor or introduce a token system through which liquor can be sold amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
The petition, filed by advocates Simran Kohli and Abhishek Bhagat on Wednesday, sought directions to Delhi government to take immediate and urgent steps in the wake of COVID-19 to control the huge crowds outside liquor shops, ensure strict adherence to social distancing and to emanate its legal duty to ensure proper and adequate measures to combat COVID-19.
It said that due to the outbreak of COVID-19, it is the duty of the state to develop and adopt adequate measures to help contain the spread of the virus.
With a view to containing the spread of the virus, the World Health Orgsation, as also the Health authorities in the state, had suggested the adoption of adequate measures to prevent crowding of persons in public places, the plea said.
It stated that Delhi government has "failed miserably" in carrying out its duty as it has decided to open liquor shop that has led to people flocking outsides liquor shops and behave irresponsibly, adding that this will be a huge detriment to government's effort to contain the virus.
The petitioner has sought a judicial order directing the respondents to take adequate steps to stop the crowding outside the liquor shops in the national capital.
The plea said that the usual mode of sale of potable liquor is through the various retail outlets of the corporation, and the said outlets are inevitably crowded and the outbreak of COVID-19 has rendered it unsafe to visit an outlet for procuring alcohol for consumption.
Therefore, the petitioner sought directions to the respondents to take a policy decision on the mode of distribution of alcoholic liquor for human consumption.
( With inputs from ANI )