The court allowed the petitioner to make a representation to the prescribed State authority, which would examine his contentious and reach a decision

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to consider a plea that the sale of liquor in tetrapacks risks the “intrusion” of alcohol into educational institutions in the State.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the State government to accept a representation made by petitioner-advocate Ashok Pande challenging the administrative decision made in February last year under State excise policy allowing the manufacture, packaging and sale of liquor in small tetrapacks.

Pande said the step could facilitate the smuggling of liquor into educational campuses where it could be sold to young students, affecting their health and future.

The court, without commenting on the policy decision, allowed the petitioner to make a representation to the prescribed State authority, which would examine his contentious and reach a decision.

A few months ago, in November last year, the apex court had taken stern exception to liquor being sold in small tetrapacks even as Justice Kant (as he was then) mistook a sample packet exhibited in the courtroom for ‘juice’.

Trademark dispute

The November hearing had dealt with a trademark dispute between two distilleries. The court had found the packaging of liquor sold in tetrapacks to be both “dangerous” and deceptive with a strong likelihood to draw in the young and gullible.

“Should this be permitted? We think this is very dangerous. These pocket-size packs can be taken to schools or colleges by the students in their bags. Parents can be easily deceived… How did the governments permit these kinds of packets? This is a public interest issue. If someone files public interest litigation, we would like to examine,” Justice Kant had observed in November 2025.

One of the judges had orally commented on how such policies aimed to make revenue eventually prove counter-productive with the deterioration of public health.

Published on April 16, 2026