HC orders issue of notice to Centre, NHAI on drunken drive

The Madras High Court today ordered issue of notices to the Additional Solicitor General of the central government and senior counsel appearing on behalf of National High Ways Authority of India in a suo motu PIL on drunken driving.
Justice N Kirubakaran had earlier passed an interim order on a petition seeking enhancement of compensation by the family of a deceased in a road accident which occurred under the influence of alcohol. In his order, he had raised 16 questions to the state and central governments on introduction of total prohibition, on which Tamil Nadu government filed an appeal before the First Bench.

When the matter came up on December 12 last year, the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sathyanarayanan, had stated that "we are of the view that whether prohibition has to be enforced or not is within the policy domain. The real concern is a cocktail of drinking and driving which causes accidents and loss of life."
The bench then posted the matter for further hearing for today and directed the respondents to file affidavits within four weeks.
When the matter came up before the bench today, the bench headed by the Chief Justice and Justice Sundresh ordered issue of notices to the Additional Solicitor General for Union of India and another senior counsel appearing on behalf of National High Ways Authority of India and granted four weeks time for giving their replies.

STS Moorthy, who appeared on behalf of Tamil Nadu government, submitted that a number of measures were taken to deter drunken driving and a fine of Rs 18 crore had been collected in the last three years.
The bench then directed Moorthy to file an affidavit on measures taken and the proposed one to be taken.