Kerala Excise Minister orders probe into hasty bar licence grants violating liquor policy
· India · Hindustan Times, The Hindu
Excise Minister M Liju stated that the government will investigate whether bar licences were granted with 'unwanted hastiness' despite existing rules requiring a social impact study. Under previous LDF administration rules, licences were issued within 24 hours even to bars shut down for years, allegedly exploiting loopholes. Three excise officials were recently suspended for granting licences to hotels in Ernakulam and Kottayam in violation of the interim liquor policy. The Kerala High Court granted the government time till November 30 to decide on pending bar licence applications, accepting the government's stand that star classification alone is insufficient.
Why it matters
The investigation and potential legal amendments aim to prevent arbitrary licence grants that bypass social impact assessments, directly affecting the hospitality sector and public safety in Kerala. Pending applicants and excise officials face uncertainty as the government moves to close loopholes exposed by recent suspensions.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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