Chandigarh, April 23: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed serious concern over the Chandigarh administration’s decision to allow a liquor vend to operate from a building previously declared unsafe in Sector 17. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry observed that the administration appeared to be acting in a manner inconsistent with safety protocols, directing the Chief Secretary to provide a formal explanation.
The matter came to light during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Rajbir Singh Rai. Senior advocate Anand Chhibbar, representing the petitioner, affirmed that the basements of SCOs 125, 126, and 127 are being utilized as a liquor vend despite a show-cause notice issued by the UT in August 2025. He maintained that the notice had categorized the usage as unauthorized and impermissible, yet the facility remains operational.
The court declared the issuance of a retail liquor license for the year 2026 as shocking, given that the structure had been ordered for demolition years prior. The bench questioned why the August 2025 show-cause notice had not been taken to its logical conclusion and how a building deemed unfit for human habitation was permitted to be occupied for commercial purposes.
Advocate Chhibbar asserted that the situation poses a grave risk to public health and safety, drawing parallels to a building collapse that occurred in January 2025. He declared that while that previous incident involved an empty building, the current liquor vend often hosts hundreds of people at any given time. He maintained that the state is constitutionally obligated to safeguard the lives of its citizens and cannot permit activities that directly jeopardize public security.
The High Court has now ordered the Chief Secretary to file an affidavit clarifying the administration’s position and explaining the continued occupation of the premises. The bench maintained that the owner appeared to have leased the building for financial gain despite the standing demolition orders. The case is scheduled for further hearing on April 30.
