Tamil Nadu gives undertaking to not open liquor shops near highways

Chennai: The state government on Monday gave an undertaking before the Madras high court that it would not open Tasmac shops in the prohibited distance along national and state highways including in municipal areas till the Supreme Court clears the ambiguity in its liquor ban order.

When a PIL filed by advocate K. Balu, president of Advocates’ Forum came up for hearing before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar, advocate general Vijay Narayan submitted that the state government has moved an application seeking clarification on the issue in the Apex court. It is taking steps to bring the petition for early hearing. 

Till then, the state government would maintain status quo and would not open new Tasmac shops in the prohibited areas and even in municipal areas, he added. Recording the undertaking, the bench posted to November 20, further hearing of the PIL, which challenged an order passed by the commissioner, prohibition and central excise department, dated  September 1, permitting Tasmac shops in the prohibited areas from highways within the municipal limits to function.

In his petition, Balu alleged that the order of the apex court was wrongly understood by the department and without even de-notifying or re-classifying the state highways, liquor outlets were allowed to function. The authorities have failed to note that the apex court order dated December 15, 2016 prohibited grant of license for sale of liquor along and in the proximity of national and state highways including those fall within the limits of municipal corporations, cities, towns or local authorities, he added.