Court not to interfere in bars issue
Justice C.T. Ravikumar considered the case but refused to pass any interim order
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-08-26 05:36 GMT
Kochi: Kerala High Court on Monday orally observed that it has no jurisdictional power to interfere with the government’s decision on the new liquor policy. The court made the observation while considering a batch of petitions filed by three bar owners challenging the new liquor policy. Justice C.T. Ravikumar considered the case but refused to pass any interim order and posted the case to Tuesday.
When the petitioners argued that the state’s decision would sabotage the tourism industry, the court observed that the state cannot provide everything the tourists want. “We have our own culture. Persons who are visiting the state may have their own choice, but it could not be entertained,” it said.
Special government pleader Tom K. Thomas submitted that the state had passed an order on August 22 and also taken a decision to close down 312 bars and not to renew the licences of 418 bars. The government was yet to finalise the mode of implementation.
Advocate-General K.P. Dandapani will appear on Tuesday, he submitted. The petitioners, who moved the court apprehending action by the state, argued that it had decided to close down the bars immediately and that they were expecting a closure notice any moment.
The Supreme Court had made it clear that there was no distinction between 5-star and 4-star while granting FL3 licence. The decision to close down the bars was discriminatory as prohibition was not applicable to the liquor outlets run by the Kerala State Beverages Corporation. Seventy per cent of the sale of liquor in the state was through the Bevco outlets, they argued.