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People queue to buy liquor outside a wine store during a protracted national blockade to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Reuters)
Madras HC ordered the liquor stores to close on Friday, noting that social distancing was not maintained. However, it allowed home delivery of alcoholic beverages through the online mode.
- News18.com
- Last update: May 9, 2020, 3:53 PM IST
New Delhi: On Saturday, the Tamil Nadu government caused the Supreme Court to challenge an order from the Madras Supreme Court to close state liquor outlets due to a total violation of the guidelines aimed at containing the Covid pandemic. 19.
In its petition, the government said that if the stores are kept closed, people would prefer to go to neighboring states to buy liquor, and also assured that the police make sure that the rules of social distancing are not circumvented.
The Madras Superior Court on Friday ordered the liquor stores to be closed, noting that there were large crowds and that social distancing was not maintained. However, it allowed home delivery of alcoholic beverages through the online mode.
The high court had also noted the crowding in liquor stores and asked states on Friday to consider non-direct contact or online sales and home delivery of liquor during the shutdown period to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. .
The appeal against the higher court order has been filed by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), a government firm that sells alcoholic beverages in the state, seeking permission to sell liquor through vendors as well.
The higher court order restricting the sale of liquor was approved in a petition filed by attorney G Rajesh, in addition to a complaint by Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) directed by Kamal Haasan.
The HC had said there was a total violation of its provisional order issued on Wednesday, when it declined to suspend a government order allowing the resumption of liquor sales through the points of sale.
After a 43-day dry period due to the closure of COVID-19 since the end of March, liquor sales resumed on Thursday at TASMAC in Tamil Nadu, except in the state capital Chennai.
A strong influx was observed in most places with people standing in meandering lines, even when the move to allow liquor to be sold was criticized by opposition parties and others, raising fears that it would lead to further spread of the new coronavirus, which as of Friday has affected more than 6,000 people in the state.
On Wednesday, the bank had ordered the government to ensure strict implementation of all appropriate rules, as reported by the state, including maintaining social distancing in liquor stores while allowing resumption.
When the matter came up on Friday, petitioner Rajesh claimed that there was a total violation of the guidelines framed according to a government order of May 5 and also the rules stipulated by TASMAC and the court.
Tamil Nadu had decided to open liquor retail stores, citing the relaxation of the closing regulations by the central government. Dumpsters in the state’s border districts were also heading directly to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, where liquor sales resumed on May 4.
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