HC stays single judge’s order to close bars attached to Tasmac shops

The Madras High Court passed an interim stay on a single judge’s January verdict that had restrained Tasmac from floating tenders for operating bars with the liquor outlets.

Heading the first division bench along with Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari passed the direction on hearing the appeal petition filed by Tasmac. The court observed that the single judge, Justice C Saravanan, passed the orders beyond the scope of the writ petition filed.

“The petition was filed only against the notification of Tasmac to extend permission/right to collect empty bottles and sell eatables in the bars and was not against running the bars. But the single judge passed orders on discontinuing the bars attached to the liquor outlets. There shall be an interim stay on the order passed by the single judge, finding it prima-facie in favour of the appellant,” the bench ruled.

The appellant had prayed on quashing the single judge’s order that wanted all bars attacked to Tasmac outlets closed within six months and also cancelled tenders floated for awarding bar licences.