Liquor shops to reopen in TN

■ SC stays HC order for online sale

The Supreme Court on Friday paved the way for the reopening of liquor shops in Tamil Nadu owned and operated by the TN State Marketing Corporation Ltd as it stayed the Madras High Court order directing the closure of liquor shops till the lockdown, imposed in the wake of pandemic Covid-19, was lifted or modified. The high court had ordered on line sale of the liquor with doorsteps delivery.

Issuing notice on the plea by the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd against the high court order, a bench comprising Justice L. Nagaswara Rao, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice B. R. Gavai said: “We can only say it is for the govt to consider online delivery ...it’s upto the state government to decide.”

The top court order came as senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said that in what manner liquor would be sold during the lockdown period was entirely within the domain of the state government and policy making and high court could not have ventured into it and imposed its own restrictions.

Appearing for Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd, Rohatgi wondered: “Why should a person need an Aadhaar card to buy liquor” as ordered by the High Court” and it is impossible to insist on digital payments only. In poser, Rohatgi asked: “How can we sell liquor online. We do not have tender service. How can we trust somebody to carry liquor (for doorstep supply)? There will be riots, someone can adulterate the liquor. Tamil Nadu is a large state not like Delhi.”