High Court: Can’t be immune to adverse effects of alcohol sale

The full bench comprising Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justices Vineet Kothari and PN Prakash observed that when alcohol sale leads to the breakdown of law and order and peace at homes, the court cannot turn a blind eye to it. On Thursday, while TN filed its counter seeking to open shops, counsels appearing for the petitioner sought not to open them. While one of the counsels cited the repeat of an outbreak at wine shops similar to Koyambedu market turning into a hotspot, another senior counsel AL Sundaresan stressed on the need for the government to choose public health over alcohol sale. He said the government which allows just 20 people for funerals and weddings cannot afford to allow the gathering of 500 in front of wine shops.

The court on noting that reports reveal that the government earns Rs 170 crore through alcohol sale and even in remote villages over 500 people are seen swarming around a wine shop, observed that the government should be more worried about people’s health and not to augur its income through alcohol. Advocate General Vijay Narayan will place his submissions in support of the government on Friday, when a final order is expected.

Online sale after September 30:

The government has made it clear that Tasmac would require time till September 30, 2020 to complete the installation of point of sale machines and other electronic modes of payment. Making the submission, the government said the alternative mode of payment through machines is available only in 850 out of 5,338 outlets and the digital payment systems are available only in 58 shops. It also noted that digital payment facility cannot be enabled overnight. It also cited the Delhi HC order in its favour which rejected the submission made by petitioners for online sale after observing that it is the exclusive domain of the Executive and the matter required an amendment in the rules framed under Excise Acts. It also took into account underlying difficulties in attempting home delivery. The counter also claimed that Tasmac stopped sales at 12 outlets for overcrowding. Tasmac has printed tokens to ensure that only limited number of persons are present in the queue. The counter also claimed that WHO’s publication that alcohol may put people at increased coronavirus risk, is only advisory in nature and meant to clarify that consumption of alcohol would provide a cure from the deadly disease.