The Supreme Court on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) sought a response from the Centre and States on a plea that excise laws differ widely from State to State, even on the point of clearly identifying what a liquor ‘bottle’ really looks like.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant agreed that the lack of clear, uniform and harmonious definition of the term ‘bottle’ in excise laws across the country has led to a “very deceptive packaging” of cheap alcohol, which is even labelled as ‘fruit juice’. The duplicitous marketing of liquor has led to a dramatic increase in the public consumption.

“There is ‘green apple’ vodka… This is very deceptive,” Chief Justice Kant said. The court issued notice to the Centre and all the States.

“It is alarming that liquor is sold in tetra packs marketed under labels such as ‘Bunty Premium Vodka’, ‘Chelli Mango Vodka’ and ‘Premium Romanov Vodka – Apple Thrill’. This is clearly intended to mislead consumers. The use of fruit names alongside colour photographs of apples and mangoes on the packaging further reinforces this deception,” advocate Vipin Nair, representing petitioner-NGO, Community Against Drunken Driving, submitted.

The petition said the government had an obligation to protect public health against the deliberate marketing strategy used by the liquor lobby to pass off alcoholic beverages as fruit juices in order to evade scrutiny by the authorities and target underage consumers.

He said the vague and varied definitions given to ‘bottle’ in State excise laws also aid in deception through inconspicuous packaging of liquor in portable PET bottles, plastic sachets, and tetra packs.

“In some State laws, a bottle includes even a sack or a wrapper. The court has to direct the government to bring in some sort of standardisation,” Mr. Nair submitted.

The petition said discretion conferred by the State excise laws to allow varied packaging of liquor was only intended for the sole purpose of raking in revenue, even at the cost of public and environmental health.

“These packages pose various risks, including consumption by juveniles, drinking in a moving vehicle, health risks, increased ease of smuggling, ease of public consumption and environmental risks. Moreover, these tetra packs have attractive packaging with vivid colours, but do not have prominent health warnings like in the case of cigarettes, which would dissuade people from drunken driving and responsible drinking,” the petition said.