Plea to form protocol to verify age of people buying liquor; Supreme Court sends notice to Centre

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has sent a notice to the central government on the plea to form a protocol to verify the age of people who buy liquor in the country. The notice was issued on the plea filed by an NGO named Community Against Drunken Driving. The NGO demanded the formation of a protocol to verify the age of those buying liquor from liquor outlets, bars and pubs in the country.

The NGO demands that liquor should be provided in liquor stores only after verifying the age of the customer through government-approved ID cards. The petition alleges that alcohol is being sold in the country without any proper age verification. According to the NGO, if the government formulates a policy, it would play a significant role in reducing incidents of drunken driving and in preventing underage drinking.

In Kerala, the minimum age for buying liquor from liquor stores is 23. However, in the states of Goa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, one can buy liquor after the age of 18.