Guwahati, Dec. 16: The Assam excise department has asked all deputy commissioners to submit a list of liquor shops located near highways following the Supreme Court order to remove all of them within 500 metres of highways.

Sources in the excise department said over 300 liquor outlets in Assam are likely to be affected by the order.

The apex court yesterday ordered closure of all liquor shops along national and state highways and directed the state governments to "cease and desist" from issuing licences.

The court expressed concern over death of nearly 1.5 lakh people every year in road accidents. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur said no new liquor vend can come up along the highways while those already having licences will have to shut shop by April 1 next year. The order was passed on a petition that cited a rise in accidents because of drink driving.

The departmental order issued yesterday asked the deputy commissioners to find out liquor shops that violate Rule 289 (2) of the Assam Excise Rules, 2016. The rule states that "no licence for retail sale of liquor or any other intoxicants shall be granted at a site situated within 100 metres from the midpoint of any national or state highways". However, liquor outlets located in municipal areas are exempt from the rule.

"Although the Supreme Court-determined distance is 500m from state or national highways as against 100m determined by the state excise rules, the order was issued so the department gets a clear picture about the location of the liquor vends. It will help the department to determine the future course of action," a source said.

"The excise department has no other way at present but going by the existing acts of the state government unless it is amended by the cabinet," the source said. Excise duty on alcohol is a state subject.

The excise rules also have provision for periodic check for location of the liquor vends and their relocation to other places within a specific time (three months) if they violate any norms.

State excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya said the government will implement the Supreme Court order. He told reporters today that he has not gone through the order copy. "Since it is a Supreme Court order, we will implement it," he said.

The IMFL Retailers' Association described the court judgment an "impossible one" to implement. "This is an impossible order to implement. In a state like Assam, if one goes 500 metres from a highway, he will find a forest, river or village," said Alak Dutta, general secretary of the association.

Dutta said around 700 liquor outlets and dhabas will be affected by the order. "This means 3,500 families will be directly affected by it," he said. Dutta said hill states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh will be affected more by the order.