Mangaluru: All liquor shops situated within a distance of 500 meters from state and national highways in Dakshina Kannada begun receiving notices from the Excise Department to relocate their business.

However, as per the state advocate general’s opinion, the Supreme Court order applied only to retail liquor shops and not to the bar, restaurants and lodges, where liquor was served.

It should be noted that regulations in Karnataka allowed the sale of liquor at a distance of 220 meters away from highways; the rule would no longer exist as the present order has come from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court passed the order to curb road accidents which killed nearly 1.5 lakh people every year. It is said that licenses of existing shops would not be renewed after March 31 next year.