CHENNAI: The First Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the State government to pass orders on a representation seeking to revise the existing policy on prohibition and the TN Retail Liquor Vending Rules in respect of relocation or establishment of TASMAC retail shops/bars in residential areas.
The Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose gave the directive on a PIL petition from K Balu, president, Advocates’ Forum for Social Justice, a service organisation affiliated to the PMK.
According to petitioner, the TN Retail Vending (in Shops and Bars) Rules do not stipulate any distance to be maintained while establishing liquor shops in residential areas. TASMAC can locate retail vending shops next to a residential house unmindful of the disturbance it may cause to the families. Hence, there should be some stipulations in locating retail liquor shops/bars in the residential areas, the petitioner said.
The authorities do not consider any objections raised by the public of the area. Any natural, spontaneous and public-inspired agitation against the location of liquor shops or liquor bars was ruthlessly handled by the police as if the general public have committed grave crimes. In a democracy functioning under the principles of ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’, this kind of repression and the practice of registering criminal cases against the peaceful agitators were against the fundamental rights, Balu added.