Bars in Kerala get one month breather from High Court

Kochi: The life span of two and three star bars was extended for one more month as a division bench of the Kerala high court on Friday, stayed the order of a single bench closing down all bars except those belonging to four and five star and heritage categories.

The decision will be a temporary relief to 250 bars belonging to two and three star categories which were closed from Thursday night following the single bench verdict.  

The division bench comprising Justice Thottathil B.Radhakrishnan and Justice Babu Mathew P. Joseph ordered that the status quo be maintained as the appeal filed by the bar owners was under the consideration of the division bench. The bench also received appeals against the single bench decision.  

The decision of the division bench will bring to a halt all measures taken by the government on Thursday to close down and seal all such bars. While hearing the appeal, the division bench also observed that the single bench had not fully upheld the liquor policy of the State Government.

The division bench had observed that the single bench verdict had mentioned the discrimination in the liquor policy of the government.

The petitioners submitted that the order of the single bench had discriminated against other hotels while extending permission for bars to four and five star category hotels and heritage hotels.

The division bench also saw an economic divide because the government was selling liquor through its outlets across the State and giving a free hand to high-end hotels and clubs by limiting bars to such establishments.  

The division bench also inquired into the status of the 418 bars closed earlier due to poor quality standards.

The state submitted that the inspection to determine the quality standards of such bars was stopped following the government taking a policy decision to impose prohibition in the State in a phased manner.