NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday said that Tamil Nadu might take steps to formulate its liquor policy considering Articles 21 and 47 of the Constitution. The authorities may look into the grievance that there were only a few de-addiction centres in the state and to do the needful, it added.
Article 21 deals with protection of life and personal liberty while Article 47 deals with duty of the state to raise the level of nutrition, the standard of living and to improve public health. It says that the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of intoxicating drinks and drugs.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam, dealing with a petition filed by Mahalakshmi Pavani on behalf of PMK women’s wing president Nirmala Raja, said in its order: “... the grievance of the petitioner is that the State has not spent enough money for having more de-addiction centres. The authorities may look into it and do the needful.” With these observations, the Bench disposed of the petition.
Senior counsel Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for the petitioners, told the Bench that the state’s policy was like creating an ailment by spending Rs 5 crore and then spending Rs 30 lakh to cure it. He was referring to the state government’s efforts to increase the sales target of liquor and the amount of money spent on de-addiction centres.