High Court orders 3-hour ban on liquor sale in Puducherry on Dec 31 night

Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered a ban on liquor sale in Puducherry from 10 pm on December 31 till 1 am on January 1. The vacation bench of Madras High Court with Justices S Vaidyanathan and D Bharatha Chakravarthy heard a petition seeking a ban on celebrations to contain the spread of COVID-19 in view of the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Counsel for Puducherry Union Territory said the UT government has imposed severe restrictions and has taken preventive measures to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour during the new year celebrations. Puducherry confirmed two cases of Omicron variant of coronavirus on Tuesday.

Puducherry Health Department has instructed all hotels, malls, restaurants, cinema owners to only allow individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter their premises for new year celebrations.