The Madras High Court has directed a district manager of Tasmac, to personally inspect an IMFL shop at Anna Nagar here and close the outlet at the earliest if in his view the rule relating to the bar has not been complied with.
The First Bench comprising the Acting Chief Justice Satish K. Agnihotri and Justice M.M. Sundresh passed the order on a writ petition by one K. Balu, an advocate.
Mr. Balu said the shop, located on New Avadi Road, caused nuisance to the public. Permission had been granted for the outlet in contravention of the Tamil Nadu Liquor Retail Vending (in Shops and Bars) Rules. The bar was not housed in a pucca building as required under Rule 10 (3). It was being run in a thatched shed. Therefore, a direction should be issued to remove the liquor shop.
The authorities submitted that there was no violation of the rules. There was a pucca building for the bar.
The Bench said that Rule 10 (3) mandated that every bar should be housed in a permanent building. The bar room should be sufficiently covered in order to conceal the consumption of liquor outside the shop. The petitioner’s counsel produced photographs to show that the rule had not been followed.
Disposing of the petition, the Judges directed the District Manager, Tasmac Retail Vending Shops, Chennai District, Central, to inspect the shop to satisfy himself about the compliance of Rule 10 (3). If the rule had not been followed, immediate steps should be taken to close the shop at the earliest, setting a deadline of four weeks.
