Mandatory age check at liquor shops: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the government, seeking a response to a petition that requested the apex court’s intervention to mandate age verification at liquor outlets and bars. The petition cited numerous instances of minors being involved in drink-driving incidents across the country.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD) sought directions for the implementation of a robust policy to establish a mandatory age verification system at all points of alcohol sale.
“To make it convenient to implement this law, photo identity cards of any buyer/ consumer who appears to be at the age below 25 years should be checked since the legal drinking age in many states and UT’s is between 18-25 years,” the PIL suggested, adding that a fine of RS 10,000 to be imposed on underage customers.
The petition also opposed doorstep delivery of liquor services, saying it would hasten the formation of the habit of alcohol consumption among underage persons. Regarding the sellers, the petition also proposed that any violations should be treated as breaches of licencing regulations, with fines of up to Rs 50,000.
Emphasising the absence of a legal framework or concrete mechanism for verifying the age of buyers, the plea argued that this lack contributes to numerous fatal accidents involving minors driving under the influence of alcohol.
A bench led by Justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan, at the outset, expressed the view that the court had limited options in this matter. Justice Gavai asked, “What can we do? Instead of going directly to buy, they can send their servants to buy”.
However, when the petitioner’s counsel highlighted the strict regulations enforced in other countries and also suggested possible measures, the bench was inclined to issue a notice.