Supreme Court Declines PIL Against Tetra Pack Liquor Sales in Uttar Pradesh

The Supreme Court of India has turned down a plea to ban the sale of liquor packaged in tetra packs in Uttar Pradesh. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Meenakshi Shree Tiwari, who raised concerns about the accessibility of these packages within educational institutions and their potential link to an increase in criminal activities.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, recommended that the petitioner address her concerns to state authorities. The decision comes following the state's recent approval of a new excise policy, which includes significant updates like the introduction of an e-lottery system for liquor shop allocation and mandating the use of tetra packs for country liquor.

Despite the PIL's rejection, the court granted the petitioner the liberty to seek resolution from state government officials, emphasizing that the state authorities are obliged to consider the representation and take suitable action.