Larger warning on liquor bottles: HC seeks Centre, AAP reply

Delhi High Court today sought the response of the Centre and AAP government on a plea seeking direction to increase the size of "statutory warnings" on liquor bottles to discourage people from consuming alcohol.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to the concerned ministries of both governments and said they should file a status report on the plea which has alleged that the warnings on the liquor bottles were "unreadable and not prominent".
The court fixed the matter for further consideration on December 7.
Two individuals including a municipal councillor of South MCD have moved court alleging that the governments have failed to devise a national policy prescribing the size of the statutory warnings on liquor bottles, points of sale or other appropriate locations to motivate citizens to abstain from consuming alcohol.

One of the petitioners, Vedpal, also sought a direction to the governments to come up with a policy and plan about the nature, size and contents of the mandatory statutory warnings on the liquor bottles, packaging, points of sale, and other locations like schools, hospitals, and other public places cautioning citizens on the ill effects of alcohol.
"Trend has engulfed the society in a severe manner and it has increased to the extent that almost 25 per cent of the population of the country is consuming liquor.
"That even as per data and statistics given by the respondents demonstrates that the schemes and programmes devised and launched are not very effective and have hence have minimal impact on promoting prohibition of alcohol," the plea said.