Multiple public interest litigation (PIL) petitions were filed in the principal seat of the Madras High Court in Chennai as well as its Madurai Bench on Tuesday against the State government’s decision to reopen liquor shops in all places, except those within the limits of Greater Chennai police, from Wednesday.
The cases are expected to be listed before Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Sathyanarayana in Chennai and a Bench led by Justice P.N. Prakash in Madurai. The litigants claimed that physical distancing would go for a toss if the liquor shops were reopened before the lifting of the lockdown to fight COVID-19.
Those who had approached the court included activist A. Bonyface represented by senior counsel Veera Kathiravan, advocate V.G. Natarajan represented by his counsel V. Vasanthakumar, V. Singaraju of South Indian Consumer and People’s Rights Organisation represented by advocate M.L. Ravi and advocate B. Ramkumar Adityan of Thoothukudi.
