The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday took serious note of certain recreational and sports clubs that took advantage of their liquor licence/permit by selling liquor to non-members, thereby functioning as full-fledged liquor shops. The court suo motu impleaded the Director General of Police, Collectors and Superintendents of Police of all districts in the case.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S.S. Sundar observed that these clubs were taking advantage of the regulations that were applicable to Tasmac bars, but not to the clubs. When the government had monopolised liquor vending, the clubs should not carry out liquor business beyond Tasmac working hours by selling liquor to non-members.
The court put forth a series of questions for the State to furnish in the next hearing. The court has asked for a district-wise breakup on licence granted to clubs in the past five years; membership strength of the clubs; volume of liquor purchased and sold in the clubs in the past five years; complaints received against such clubs in the past five years; whether periodic raids were conducted; and whether spurious liquor was sold.
The court also wanted to know whether the Collectors inspected the bars attached to recreational clubs to ascertain the membership and seating capacity. The court adjourned the batch of public interest litigation petitions filed against Tasmac shops to April 22.