Swaminathan ordered that the Collector should also ascertain if a star hotel was functioning in either the third or fourth floors, where the pub was established, as claimed by the counsel for the mall during the course of hearing. The judges made it clear that the inspection should be carried out either on Saturday or Sunday and a report should be filed in the court by Monday for passing further orders. The interim directions were issued on a public interest litigation petition pending in the court since 2015. Advocate B. Stalin of Melur Taluk near here had filed the petition seeking a direction to the government officials to cancel the licence granted to the pub for serving liquor. The petitioner had claimed that it would be against public interest and safety to run a pub in a mall that has several shops, a multiplex and a food court visited by hundreds of people.

Source: The Hindu August 04, 2017 17:03 UTC