Madras High Court dismisses PIL challenging Tamil Nadu govt’s ex-gratia to hooch victims

CHENNAI: Doubting the bonfides of the litigation, the Madras High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking not to distribute the ex-gratia announced by the State to the family of the victims who died by consuming illicit liquor.

“Since the petition was moved with half-baked information, this Court is unable to entertain it, as the spirit of litigation challenges the policy decision of the government without even collecting the basic information,” wrote a division bench of Justices SS Sundar and N Senthilkumar. “The government, as a welfare State, taking moral responsibility for the whole incident, has announced a relief package to reach the dependents of victims to ensure their survival with dignity.”

The PIL was moved by D Kumaresh, a social worker from Virugambakkam, who raised several objections for announcing a huge amount of Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia. “Those who died by consuming illicit liquor are not martyrs,” said the petitioner and contended that the State should not encourage such illegalities by rewarding them.

Advocate General PS Ramanu submitted that the State government had announced the package on compassionate grounds to enable the family to tide over the economic crisis they would face.