HC direction on plea to stop liquor sale at military canteens

The Madras High Court has directed the state government to file within two weeks their reply on a plea to cancel licence for liquor sale at military canteens and airports as they were situated near highways.
A division bench of the court's Madurai bench, comprising Justice A Selvam and Justice N Authinathan, issued the direction to the principal home secretary and other officials while hearing a PIL by Abzar Hussain.
The petitioner submitted that the Supreme Court had recently directed that all liquor shops located on highways to be closed.
The objective of the apex court order was to prevent accidents due to drunken driving.

However, non-closure of military canteen liquor shops and liquor shops at airports adjoining the highways were against the apex court order, the petitioner said and prayed for cancelling the licence for liquor sale at these establishments besides their closure.