Madras High Court takes suo motu cognisance of Kallakurichi hooch tragedy; calls for development in region

The Madras High Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the illegal hooch tragedy case in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district, which has claimed the lives 65 people so far..A Bench of Justices SM Subramaniam and C Kumarappan said that the Court was “concerned about the people” and wished to protect their constitutional rights..“This Court will like to bring to the fore the plight of people who are pushed into the business of illicit liquor manufacturing. This issue needs to be addressed at the earliest, and comprehensive measures for the economic and social development of the people in this region are a Constitutional priority. It is for all concerned to ensure that the constitutional mandates, directives, principles, and ethos are not only honoured but implemented in letter and spirit,” the order passed by the Bench in the suo motu case stated.It directed the Madras High Court Registry to implead the Secretaries of the Union Ministries of Home Affairs and Tribal Welfare, the Chief Secretary and the Tribal Welfare Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government, the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP), and the district collectors and Superintendents of Police of Kallakurichi and Salem districts as parties. It also asked the Registry to place the suo motu case before the Acting Chief Justice for appropriate orders..The Bench also said it did not wish to get into the ongoing political fight over the incident, where the opposition has been blaming the DMK government for its failure to curb the sale of illegal liquor and prevent such deaths.A Bench of Justices D Krishna Kumar and K Kumaresh Babu is already hearing a PIL filed by AIADMK functionaries questioning the DMK’s inaction over the issue..[Read Order]