The High Court of Madras has barred the Govt. of Tamil Nadu from opening new liquir-selling outlets of State-run TASMAC along State/national highways.

It may be recalled that a few months back, the Supreme Court of India directed the State close down all TASMAC outlets located within 500 meters of State/national highways. Following this directive, all such outlets were closed down from 01st April this year. Moreover, thousands of such outlets across the State were also closed.

Union Territory Administration of Chandigarh recently opened State-run liquor outlets along the State/national highways declaring them as rural highways.  At that time, the apex Court conceded that it was very much within the purview of the State Govt. concerned to rename the national/State highways within its domain.  This led to the opening of such outlets along State/national highways by many States.

Tamil Nadu opened 800 outlets, bringing them within the ambit of local bodies. A public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed against the Govt.’s move was taken up by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Sundaram.  Accepting the petitioner’s argument that the State had misunderstood the apex Court’s directions, the High Court barred the State from opening new outlets until further orders.