SC orders status quo till Sept 30 on new liquor policy
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New Delhi: In a relief to bar owners in Kerala, the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the State government to maintain status quo till September 30 on the new liquor policy and restrained it from shutting down non five star hotel bars.
An apex court bench of Justice Anil R. Dave and Justice U.U. Lalit asked the Kerala High Court to decide expeditiously pleas challenging the state government's new liquor policy, which are listed for hearing on Sept 18.
The court expressed the hope that the high court will decide the matter by Sep 30.
While questioning the state government's decision to allow bars only in five-star hotels, the court said "If you want to ban alcohol, stop it totally, like Gujarat."
“What is the logic behind this? We don’t see any logic behind this,” the bench said.
The Kerala government order banning sale of liquor at the bars, other than 5-star hotels, was to come into force from 11 p.m. Thursday.
As per the new policy, besides these 412 bars, notices have been issued to 312 other such establishments to close down by September 12.
From the next fiscal, liquor would be available only in around 16 five-star hotels operating in the state.
From Oct 2 this year, all Sundays will be dry days. Out of the 383 state-owned retail liquor shops, 10 percent will close down each year paving the way for Kerala to achieve complete prohibition by Oct 2, 2023.