Madras High Court: Can members drink inside premises of clubs sans permit?

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the State government to file a report explaining whether any permission was granted to consume liquor inside the premises of recreation clubs that are not handling any liquor.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy raised the question while hearing an appeal petition filed by the Kancheepuram Reading Room and Tennis Club.

The petitioner club challenged the order of a single judge dismissing its plea seeking direction to stop the police from forcing the club to get a licence to allow its members to consume alcohol inside the premises.

The club submitted that its members purchased liquor from Tasmac outlets and were merely consuming that inside the club premises. “However, the police are restricting club members from having their booze inside the club and asking us to get a licence for allowing people to have their drink inside,” the club said in its petition.

Recording the submissions, the bench asked the State government to file its response explaining whether the recreation clubs that are not handling liquor items could allow their members to drink inside the premises. Recently, Justice SM Subramaniam had dismissed the club’s plea ruling that it was not a recreation club and consuming liquor in public places was against the provisions of law.