HC orders notice to Tasmac in a plea to extend bar timings

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to file its response within a week on a petition filed by two Thiruvallur-based residents for extending the bar timings upto 12 midnight than till 10 PM.

The first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy ordered the notice to the state government on hearing a petition filed by Gopinath and Mohan, residents of Vengathur village in Tiruvallur district.

The petitioners sought direction to the Tasmac to prevent people from consuming liquor in public places when the bars are kept closed by 10 PM. They asked the court to issue an order to revise the bar working timings as per the Tamil Nadu Liquor Retail Vending Rules 2003.

"According to the TN Retail Liquor Vending Rules, 2003, bars can be opened from 8 AM to 12 midnight. However, Tasmac bars are functioning only between 12 PM to 10 PM. People who are purchasing liquor from the Tasmac liquor outlet at 10 PM are forced to consume the same in public. Therefore, numerous issues arise in the state. Consumption of liquor in open places would cause law and order problems and affect the environment. Therefore, the Tasmac should give permission to the bars to function till 12 midnight, " the petitioner submitted.

Recording the submissions, the bench ordered the state government and Tasmac to file its response and adjourned the matter to January 4.