Supreme Court questions Centre’s silence on age checks at liquor outlets
What Happened
The Supreme Court expressed concern after no lawyer appeared for the Union government despite notice in a plea seeking mandatory age verification at liquor shops, bars, pubs and restaurants. The Bench granted the Centre four weeks to respond and said it would request Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to appear. The matter will be heard again after six weeks.
Key Takeaways
The petition by Community Against Drunken Driving seeks a uniform age-verification process at the point of sale, as legal drinking ages differ across states. However, the Court has not ordered nationwide mandatory checks yet. It is currently seeking the Centre’s formal response to the proposal.