Kerala alcohol ban: Supreme Court to decide on plea to stay bar closure
No directive means shutting bars by 11 p.m. from Thursday
Thiruvananthapuram: As the clock strikes 11 on Thursday night, all the 292 bars in the state that do not have five-star status will be closed down, unless there is any directive from the Supreme Court on a batch of petitions filed by bar owners challenging the government’s liquor policy.
While the excise department is gearing up to close down the bars, the bar hotel owners are pinning their hopes on a breather from the Supreme Court on Thursday, especially since the court on Wednesday questioned the logic of allowing bars only in five-star hotels.
All the remaining stock in the 292 bar hotels will be shifted to a room in each bar and sealed by excise officials by 11 p.m.
Thereafter, there would be only 20 bars in five- star hotels in the state. Out of the 732 bars in the state till this March, the licences of 418 substandard bars were not renewed in April following a court verdict. Two bars did not apply for bar licence. The remaining 292 were given a 15- day closure notice on August 28 so that they could function during the Onam season.
Meanwhile, Kerala high court on Wednesday refused to stay the notice issued by the excise department to the bars directing to close down after September 12. A division bench comprising Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice P.B. Suresh Kumar was of the view that the state was exercising its plenary power by implementing the liquor policy.
The high court also observed that the state granted only provisional licenses to the bars so the state’s decision cannot be questioned. The court will consider the pleas again on September 16.
Excise minister K. Babu, who convened a meeting on top excise officials on Wednesday to discuss the future course of action, said that the government would soon issue orders on repaying the licence fees to the bar hotel owners.
Steps for taking back the remaining stock by the Kerala State Beverages Corporation and repaying the licence fee to the tune of '45 crore will be initiated in the coming days.