The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), a government undertaking which operates liquor shops in the State, on Tuesday told the Madras High Court that it had instructed its district managers to issue notices seeking explanation from all bar owners whether they had obtained licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
Additional Advocate General P.H. Arvindh Pandian made the submission before Justices N. Kirubakaran and V. Parthiban and sought a week’s time to revert on the progress. He said he would be able to place the statistics of the bars that were being run with FSSA licences and those without licences only after receiving reply to the notices.
It was during the last hearing of the case on July 5 that the judges had raised a question whether all bars had been licenced under the 2006 enactment. As to the question on the possibility of opening shops at 2 p.m. every day instead of 12 p.m., the AAG said it was a policy decision that had to be taken at the highest level in the government.
Unhappy with the reply, Justice Kirubakaran said it was essential to open liquor shops after lunch hours so that the addicts could be encouraged to work during daytime. He impressed upon the need for the government to give a serious thought to the proposal and adjourned the matter by a week.
