BENGALURU: The High Court on Thursday issued notices to the state and the Centre in response to PIL seeking directions to prosecute erring licence holders who illegally sell liquor and other alcoholic products to people below the age of 21 years. It sought implementation of the Karnataka Excise Act and Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, in relation to the sale of liquor to people below 21 years.
Hearing the petition filed by Laya Sajan Meriyanda (17) of Halasur Road in Bengaluru, the division bench of Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, the Commissioner of Excise, Department of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.
The petitioner also sought directions to lay down guidelines for issuance of permits for purchasing alcohol.The petition states that consumption of alcohol by children will cause permanent damage to their health. Therefore, the sale of alcohol to children is violative of their right to health, which is a part of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.