CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday stayed a state government order that allowed consumption of liquor at international events such as IPL. A division bench of Justices S Vaidyanathan and K Kalaimathi granted the interim stay on the amendment to the Tamil Nadu Liquor (License and Permit) Rules, 1981, on a PIL filed by advocate K Balu, president of Lawyers Forum for Social Justice affiliated to the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The bench posted the matter to June 14 for further hearing.
Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram submitted that allowing liquor consumption at venues where international events are hosted is a policy matter of the government on which the court cannot interfere. The March 18 dated G.O. was also modified to exclude marriage halls from its purview and the petitioner has to challenge the modified G.O. and not the one issued on March 18, the AG said.
MR Jothimanian, counsel for the petitioner, said an additional affidavit would be filed on the matter and pressed for the stay. The petitioner said the G.O. is illegal, unjust, and it’s a colourable exercise of power by the state and is against public interest. The FL 12 special licence for serving liquor at conference halls, convention centres, marriage halls, banquet halls and sports stadium is contrary to the 2017 judgment of the Supreme Court which had issued various guidelines protecting the life of the citizens under Article 21 of the Constitution, Balu said.