In a blow to bar owners, the Kerala high court on Thursday upheld the validity of the Congress-led United Democratic Front government’s new liquor policy, paving the way for closure of 700 bars attached to small and medium hotels in the state.
The court, however, gave some reprieve, allowing 33 bars in four-star and heritage category hotels to function after the state government had banned bars in all hotels below five-star ranking. Twenty bars in five-star hotels were allowed to operate by the court.
The court order was a shot in the arm for the Congress-led UDF government, which has set a goal of total prohibition by 2023 through its new excise policy.
The judgment was passed by Justice Surendra Mohan on a batch of petitions by Kerala bar owners against the state government’s August 22 ‘no liquor’ policy to close down bars attached to hotels below five-star category.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the court order was recognition of the state government’s excise policy.
Rejecting the stand that the court allowing bars attached to four-star category hotels was a setback to the government, he said only around 60 bars were allowed to function now.
“This cannot be seen as partial recognition of the liquor policy,” Chandy said.
Disposing of the 81 petitions, the court said that a claimant cannot have an exception that is impermissible.
The court observed that “there is a steady increase in liqour consumption in the state and efforts to reduce consumption fail to achieve any significant results.
Holding that there was no substantial difference between bars in four-star, heritage hotels and those in the five-star categories and above, the court set aside the excise policy to the extent that it excludes bars in four-star and heritage hotels for the eligiblity to be granted bar licence.
The ruling UDF had adopted the new liquor policy with a view to reducing the availability of liquor in the state to achieve its goal of ‘total prohibition by 2023’.
