Madras HC poses questions to Centre, TN govt on liquor sale

Expressing concern over drinking and offences committed due to it, the Madras High Court today posed a set of questions to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government regarding blocking of liquor sale to minors and opening more de-addiction centres, among others.
Justice N Kirubakaran of the bench here posed the questions while referring to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's claim that there was a "huge drop" in domestic violence and rape cases in the state after implementation of liquor ban there.
The judge, who suo motu impleaded the Union Cabinet Secretary, Secretary of Law and Justice, Tamil Nadu Home Secretary, Revenue and Commercial Secretary, DGP and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC- state-run organisation selling liquor), asked the state government as to on what date it planned to bring total prohibition as per a poll promise made before the 2016 polls.

Granting conditional bail to a petitioner who attacked his own mother under the influence of liquor, the judge said he was keeping the bail petition pending to deal with the issues connected with liquor consumption which, he said, was the main reason for the commission of offences.
The government had announced it had taken a policy decision to close liquor shops in a phased manner on June 19, 2016 and it had reduced business hours by two hours.
"Now how many shops have been closed, after the closure of first batch of 500 shops as per poll promise?" the judge asked state government officials.

The judge wanted to know when the next batch of shops would be closed and by which date total prohibition would be implemented in the state as per the poll promise.

The judge then went on to pose the question: "Is it a fact that crime is increasing due to alcohol in India and Tamil Nadu... And how many liquor-related criminal cases were reported in the last 10 years."
Referring to media reports about liquor being sold to students and children, the judge asked, "Are students also becoming addicted... Is it a fact that juveniles indulge in sex crimes against women and girls under the influence of liquor... Why is not possible for the Centre to block the sale of liquor for the students?"

The judge also asked "why not the government open de-addiction centres at the taluk level..."
Justice Kirubakaran said over 78 lakh people in the state were drinking liquor daily. Most of them were labourers or lower middle income group. It was time people were discouraged from drinking, the judge said.
Assistant Solicitor General G R Swaminathan took notice on behalf of the Centre while Tamil Nadu advocate Muniaswamy took notice for state government officials.
Petitioner P Sakthivel had allegedly stabbed his mother, injuring her, for not giving him money to buy liquor in December last year. The petitioner said he was in prison for more than 30 days and sought bail.

The judge asked him to appear before the Shengottai judicial magistrate with surety bond of Rs 10,000, and two sureties to the satisfaction of the JM. He should also report to police station at 11 am daily till further orders.