Chennai: A public interest litigation has been filed in the Madras high court to ban the sale of liquor on the licensed premises of military areas and airports, located near/along the highways in the light of the recent order of the Supreme Court.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar before whom the PIL filed by AMK Sahul Hameed came up for hearing directed the state government and Tasmac to file their counter affidavit by three weeks. Rejoinder if any, should be filed by two weeks thereafter, the bench added and posted on July 24, further hearing of the case.
According to petitioner, pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court, the Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise by his letter dated March 31directed all district collectors to close the bar in the licensed premises located near the highways. Therefore, the order of the apex court applies to all kinds of licenses involving the sale of liquor and therefore, the sale of liquor in licensed premises of military areas and airports in the state should be stopped and closed, he added.
He said he gave representation to the authorities, including Tasmac to take steps to stop the sale of liquor on the licensed premises of Military areas and Airports, located near/along the highways. But there was no response. The Supreme Court passed the order on March 31. But in spite of the same, the sale of liquor in military areas and airports located near/along the highways was still continuing. The Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise being the licensing authority and the Additional Director General of Police and Commissioner of Police, Chennai, being the enforcing authorities, were not taking any steps to stop the sale of liquor in these premises, which was against the order of the Supreme Court, he added.
