D.Y.CHANDRACHUD,J. - (1.) This batch of MAs/IAs arises from the judgment dated 15 December 2016 rendered by this Court in State of Tamil Nadu v K Balu Civil Appeal 12164-12166/2016 and the subsequent orders dated 31 March 2017 and 11 July 2017. The last of the Signature Not Verified above orders was delivered in Arrive Safe Society of Chandigarh v The Union Territory of Chandigarh Special Leave Petition (C) No.10243 of 2017.
(2.) Though the reliefs which have been sought in the individual MAs/IAs may differ, during the course of the hearing there is a broad consensus that for the purpose of the present proceedings, it would be sufficient if this Court were to interpret paragraph 7 of the order dated 11 July 2017. Paragraph 7 is extracted below: "7. The purpose of the directions contained in the order dated 15 December 2016 is to deal with the sale of liquor along and in proximity of highways properly understood, which provide connectivity between cities, towns and villages. The order does not prohibit licensed establishments within municipal areas. This clarification shall govern other municipal areas as well. We have considered it appropriate to issue this clarification to set at rest any ambiguity and to obviate repeated recourse to IAs, before the Court."
(3.) Learned counsel submitted that the expression 'municipal areas' in the above paragraph was not intended to exclude areas within the jurisdiction of local self-governing bodies. Many of them, it is urged, may be developed in a manner similar to municipalities. Others, may be geographically proximate to an urban agglomeration. Hence it was urged that an appropriate direction may be issued to obviate uncertainties in application, occasioning the need for repeated recourse to this Court or, as the case may be, litigation in the High Courts.;