The court took strong exception to the government’s submission that the restriction continued only for the village libraries while other libraries were functioning as usual.

When the PIL seeking to reopen all the libraries as was done before the pandemic lockdown was imposed came before it for hearing, a division bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice S Ananthi said, “We do not find any reason or logic behind having restricted usage of library for villagers. There is no difference between a library situated in the city and town on the one hand and the village on the other.

“In fact, the libraries would be required to the villagers and the number of persons attending the library will be lesser. It is well known that pandemic has not spread to the villages as done to the cities and towns,” the bench held while directing the State to open all the village libraries across the State within four weeks.

The bench also sought the State to consider opening of Folk Art Library and fix a date for opening the library at Vandiyur, Madurai, where the construction was complete.