Tamil Nadu govt to re-open liquor shops; token system to be brought in
The Tamil Nadu government on Friday (May 15) came up with a set of rules to facilitate the sale of liquor after the Supreme Court approved the reopening of state-owned liquor shops in the state.
A token system will be brought in, and only 500 tokens will be issued at each liquor shop per day. Seven differently-coloured tokens will be issued, specifying the time and day on which people can go and buy liquor.
“Preparations for bringing out the tokens in seven colours including blue, green, navy blue, and violet began sufficiently in advance and tokens would be sent to all the outlets for distribution… approximately 500 persons will get the tokens on an average per day,” said general secretary of TASMAC Workers Association D Dhanasekaran.
These liquor shops will be open from 10 am to 5 pm. However, there will be no sale of liquor in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts, and containment zones across the state.
Liquor can be sold only in standalone shops, and face masks are mandatory for those who come to receive tokens or buy liquor, the order noted.
The Supreme Court had approved the re-opening of liquor shops by staying a Madras High Court order, which had ordered their closure on the grounds that guidelines like social distancing had been violated, meant to contain the spread of COVID-19.
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A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, S K Kaul, and B R Gavai, in the proceedings held through video conferencing, stayed the May 8 order of the High Court after taking note of the appeal of state government’s firm, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), which sells alcoholic beverages in the state.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for the TASMAC, said the High Court should not have imposed its own conditions for sale of liquor by entering into the states domain of policy making.
He said that it was states prerogative to decide how to conduct sale of liquor and contended that High Court cannot decide the mode of selling. “We do not have tender services, it is impossible. How can we sell online? There are many issues regarding adulteration and other such considerations. How can we trust someone to carry liquor?” Rohatgi said.
Lawyer PV Yogeswaran, appearing for the persons who had moved the High Court, said the sale of liquor was not a fundamental right and precautionary measures must be taken in view of COVID-19 pandemic. He urged the bench not to intervene in the matter.
The Tamil Nadu government on May 8 had moved the top court challenging the High Court order saying that the closure of such shops would lead to “grave losses” in the state’s revenue and complete halt in commercial activities.
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After a dry spell of 43 days due to the COVID-19 lockdown since late March, liquor sales had resumed at TASMAC outlets in Tamil Nadu, except state capital Chennai, on May 7.
Huge crowds were seen at most places with people standing in serpentine queues even as the move to allow sale of liquor came in for flak from opposition parties and others, who raised apprehensions that it would lead to further spread of the novel coronavirus, which as of May 8 has affected over 6,000 people in the state.
Tamil Nadu had decided to open retail liquor outlets, citing relaxation of lockdown norms by the central government. Tipplers in border districts of the state were also making a beeline to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka where liquor sales resumed on May 4.
The High Court had then ordered the closure of liquor outlets after noting that there were huge crowds and no social distancing being maintained by tipplers. It had, however, allowed doorstep delivery of booze through online mode.
