The Kerala High Court had criticized a person who filed a writ petition seeking direction to the Beverages corporation to take a decision for convenient delivery of potable liquor to consumers in the State, through online platforms.
The bench headed by Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar has rejected the petition, filed by the petitioner, Jyothish and has further imposed costs of Rs. 50,000 against him.
The petitioner contended to make alternative modes of delivery of alcoholic liquor to consumers, since the outlets are inevitably crowded during business hours, and that the outbreak of COVID 19 virus has rendered it unsafe for him to visit an outlet for procuring alcohol for his consumption.
Dismissing the plea, the court held that “The citizenry ought to realize that the restrictions imposed by this Court on the filing of cases are with a view to ensuring that their fundamental rights as citizens, at the cost of exposing the Judges, lawyers, clerks and staff of this Court, to the risk of viral infection. When measures such as these are adopted by this Institution in the public interest, the very least that is expected from the litigating public is a sensitivity to the interests of their fellow citizens in Society, who like them have a fundamental right to a safe place of work and a healthy environment.”
Although, the counsel for the petitioner sought to withdraw the petition, the bench went on to impose exemplary costs of 50,000.
