Act against liquor vending violation in clubs: Plea

CHENNAI: A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Madras High Court on Wednesday seeking action against the Clubs and Hotels that violate the terms of the liquor vending licences (FL2 and FL3), serving liquor beyond the stipulated times every day and allowing non-members to consume liquor at their premises.

The FL2 licence was issued to non-proprietary clubs to serve liquor to members and guests who accompany the members. The FL3 licence was issued to serve liquor to hotel guests in their rooms. Both licences were being misused widely by many clubs and hotels.

“The clubs were supposed to serve liquor only between 11 am and 11 pm as per the conditions. Some clubs in Chennai city remained open till 1 am or 3 am besides allowing non-members to consume liquor beyond the permissible hours,” P Suresh Babu, advocate from Chennai alleged in his petition.

Therefore, he sought a direction from the Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise to conduct surprise inspections at the premises of those holding FL2 and FL3 licences and take action against the clubs and hotels that violate the terms of liquor vending licences and serve liquor beyond the permitted hours.

The petition is likely to come up for hearing before a summer vacation bench comprising Justices B Pugalenthi and V Lakshminarayanan on Thursday.