New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday, May 15 issued a stay order on the Madras High Court order directing to shut down all liquor shops in Tamil Nadu.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday, May 15 issued a stay order on the Madras High Court order directing to shut down all liquor shops in Tamil Nadu.
A Supreme Court bench, comprising of Justice L Nageswara Rao, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, and Justice B R Gavai, heard via video-conferencing an appeal filed by the Tamil Nadu government against the Madras High Court order of May 8 to close liquor shops in the State, with immediate effect, citing flouting of COVID precautions.
After social distancing guidelines were violated across the State at all TASMAC shops, protests erupted in the State mostly by women in Coimbatore and Tirupur condemning closure of the shops at the hour of pandemic situation.
The Opposition also held black flag protests and parties like Makkal Needhi Maiam among others filed petition at the Madras HC seeking immediate closure of the shops.
There are over 5,300 liquor outlets contributing approximately Rs 30,000 crore of tax revenue to the state exchequer.