After recording his submission, the Bench led by the Chief Justice ordered maintenance of status quo and ordered that no new liquor shop should be opened along the highways, even if they pass through municipal areas, till November 20. Though the AG claimed that the July 11 order clearly permits opening of liquor shops along highways within municipal areas, the judges doubted if that was the intent of the order. “You take our order on appeal to the Supreme Court and then naturally the issue would get settled,” she said. He also said the State Government had not opened any new liquor shop since then. According to Mr. Narayan, as many as 15 States had interpreted the order in the way the Tamil Nadu government had done and opened the liquor shops along highways in municipal areas.

Source: The Hindu November 06, 2017 19:07 UTC