New bars in the state only after Chengannur bypoll

In the wake of the declaration by Christian church to oppose the liquor policy of the Left coalition, the government may stop issuing licences for new bars until the bypoll in Chengannur assembly.

Although the government had challenged the Church authorities who warned that the outcome of the government's new policy can be felt in the upcoming polls, this apparent ploy to deceive the people has been taken in realization of the risk in the hustings. However, it is also reported that the decision to suspend issuing of new licences has been conveyed in secret to the fresh applicants.

According to sources, about 60 applications are pending with the Excise department, and the decision at department level is not to take any action on them for now. Even as Excise Minister TP Ramakrishnan has been repeating the refrain that all the bars opened now are those that had existed during the previous UDF government, it has emerged that in the minister's own home district of Kozhikode, half a dozen new bars have come up; and in the whole state about 40 new bars are said to have opened. However, new applicants for licences seem to have received a clear promise in this regard, and hence their owners investing several lakhs of rupees for obtaining 3-star classification for their hotels.

Ever since the new liquor policy of LDF came into force on 1 July 2016, opening a new bar licence has become easy. Hotels of 3-star and above star category can apply for it. The minimum distance for bars from educational instituitions and places of worship which was formerly 200 meters, has now been reduced to 50 meters. And the new abkari policy to take effect on 1 April this year is also seen as more liberal for liquor merchants. As long as the policy does not clearly spell out that new bar licences will not be issued, the government is bound to grant licence against applications submitted. And if the decision on an application is delayed, the applicants will be free to move the court and obtain favourable orders too.

Although the foreword of the liquor policy states that the goal of the government is moulding an alcohol-free Kerala, things are moving in such a way that every panchayath is going to have a liquor shop. After the Supreme Court slapped restrictions on bars along national highways, Kerala government in its affidavit submitted a request to treat panchayaths with a population of 10,000 to be treated as urban area. The SC in its order left that to the discretion of the state governments. Instead of using this discretion in line with the declared policy, what the state government has chosen to do is to be favourable to the liquor lobby.