Supreme Court Directs UP to Consider Plea on Liquor Cartons in Schools

The Supreme Court of India, through a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, has directed the Uttar Pradesh state government to formally accept and consider a legal representation. This petition challenges an administrative decision implemented under the state's excise policy in February of the previous year. The contested policy permitted the manufacture, packaging, and sale of alcohol in small cartons. The primary concern raised in the plea is the significant risk these small liquor packages pose within educational campuses, potentially increasing accessibility to students and undermining safety measures in academic environments. By ordering the state to accept the representation, the highest court is initiating a judicial review process to address these public health and safety concerns. This development highlights the ongoing tension between state revenue policies regarding alcohol sales and the imperative to protect educational institutions from the adverse effects of substance availability. The court's intervention underscores the seriousness with which the judiciary views the potential impact of such excise policies on young populations and institutional integrity.