Chennai: Paving way for the reopening of TASMAC wine shops in Tamilnadu, the Supreme Court today issued an interm stay on the Madras High Court order that directed closing down of liquor outlets in the State.
The order was passed on an appeal filed by the Tamilnadu government. Following this, it is expected that the liquor stores would function in the State from tomorrow.
Earlier, the Tamilnadu government had informed the Madras High Court that revenue generated by state-owned TASMAC liquor shops play an important role in the growth of the State.
It will take four to five years to sete up an alternative revenue model through other departments, the government said, requesting the court to direct reopening of liquor outlets.
The Madras High Court order on 8 May directed to close liquor shops in Tamilnadu, with immediate effect, to enforce social distancing till the Covid-19 lockdown is lifted or modified.
TASMAC on Thursday informed the Madras High Court that it would restrict the liquor sale to 500 people per day at each outlet and assured that only 70 people would be allowed per hour inorder to avoid crowding and maintain social distancing.
The Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) made the submission in its counter to a batch of petitions challenging the reopening of government-run liquor shops in Tamilnadu. It also submitted that the overcrowding took place in some shops, which were reopened after a long gap of 41 days due to Covid-19. When the batch of petitions came up before the full bench comprising Chief Justice AP Sahi, Justices Vineet Kothari and PN Prakash through video conference, it said it was concerned whether the State can be permitted to resume liquor sale during lockdown and whether public health can be overlooked by the State for revenue generation.
In its counter in the Supreme Court, TASMAC contended that the division bench was wrong in passing the interim order as the apex court had already refused to stay functioning of liquor shops during lockdown.
The petitioners submitted that allowing sale of liquor would go against the Covid-19 lockdown guidelines and argued that the state must not be permitted to reopen liquor shops till the curbs were eased. Recording the submissions, the bench adjourned the matter as advocate general Vijay Narayan sought time to get instructions from the government.