It is not the business of court to formulate framework for liquor sale

On 12th June, the Supreme Court permitted Tamil Nadu government to devise methods to sell liquor -- through online or physical sales -- and said that it is not for a court to lay down procedures as to how alcoholic beverages can be sold.

A bench of the apex court comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.R. Shah said that the medium for sale of alcoholic beverages is for the state government to decide, and it is not for the court to lay down a framework as to how they can be sold.

The top court agreed with the argument of the state government's firm, Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), which sells alcoholic beverages in the state, that it cannot be instructed to sell liquor only through online and home deliveries.

TASMAC agreed to file an affidavit within three weeks regarding the standard operating procedure (SOP) put in place for sale of liquor in retail shops in Tamil Nadu.