The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) has filed an appeal before Supreme Court challenging the order passed by the Madras High Court only a day after it has closed the liquor shops.
The division bench of Madras High Court comprising of Justice Vineet Kothari & Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayanan, on Friday ordered the closure of liquor shops and alcohol vending shops till lifting of lockdown on observing huge crowd is gathering outside retail outlets and blatantly violating the norms setup by the TASMAC.
The Tamil Nadu Government on 6th of May issued order permitting opening of TASMAC shops in order to increase already falling revenues due to lockdown. This lead to gathering of huge crowds and queues outside retail shops leading to violation of social distancing norms to contain spread of COVID-19.
The Madras High Court in its order observed that, “it is open to the State and the TASMAC to resort to only home delivery of the liquor by indirect sale during this lockdown period, viz., online booking of order for liquor and by putting the required system in place in the manner in which, they can sell the liquor and make home delivery in the above manner. As it is stated that there are 30,000 contractual employees available with the TASMAC, we are of the opinion that there cannot be any difficulty in undertaking the above exercise of indirect sales and home delivery either through their own employees or by outsourcing such supplies of liquor. While ordering so, it is made clear that the TASMAC shall ensure that the persons undertaking the delivery work have undergone necessary safety medical tests and they are complying with all the protocols for the prevention of spreading of COVID-19, and they should put into necessary medical tests at regular intervals.”
-India Legal Bureau