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The Madras High Court Friday ordered the closure of government-run retail liquor outlets in the state till the lockdown is lifted. The court said the government can use online and home delivery models to sell liquor during the lockdown period.
A special division bench of Justice Vineet Kothari and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana passed the interim order on a batch of petitions seeking closure of liquor shops alleging violation of all the conditions imposed by the court to permit reopening of Tasmac shops from May 7.
One of the petitioners was actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s political outfit, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM).
On May 4, the state government passed a formal order to open liquor shops from May 7 to fight the deepening economic crisis. The order said shops would function between 10am and 5pm under strict social distancing norms. The government had also promised deployment of additional staff to manage the crowd.
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Even as the court heard petitions on May 6, judges refused to stay the government decision and imposed a series of conditions to permit liquor sale during lockdown. The norms insisted by the court included rationing by permitting one person to purchase only one bottle of liquor (750 ml) per day if payment is made by cash.
On Thursday, the government registered a sale of about 20 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 172 crore.
Sources in the government, meanwhile, said it will challenge the High Court order before the Supreme Court.
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