Kerala halts new bar licences until UDF government announces liquor policy
Excise Minister M Liju said the authority of deputy commissioners to issue licences will be withdrawn following an investigation.
The Kerala government has stopped issuing new bar licences until the United Democratic Front (UDF) government announces its liquor policy, according to Urban Acres.
Speaking to reporters in Kayamkulam on Saturday, Excise Minister M Liju said that although applications were received during the current UDF tenure, no licences will be granted before the new policy is finalised.
Liju said the previous Left Democratic Front government had allowed excise deputy commissioners to issue these licences. He stated that more than 500 bars were licensed under this delegated authority.
The minister alleged that officials failed to inform the government when making decisions on policy matters. He said the government is investigating whether other interests were involved in the licensing process.
The government has suspended the officials involved to allow for a detailed inquiry. Liju said the suspension is intended to facilitate the investigation rather than serve as a punishment.
The inquiry will determine if officials misunderstood the rules or if there were deliberate interventions. Liju noted that the excise commissioner's report was preliminary and was reviewed before the decision to withdraw the deputy commissioners' authority was made.