Kerala to investigate rapid issuance of bar licences
Excise Minister M Liju said the government will probe if officials acted too quickly when granting liquor licences to hotels.
Kerala Excise Minister M Liju said on Monday that the state government will look into whether officials acted with unnecessary speed when issuing bar licences. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Liju told the news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) that the government intends to examine why certain decisions were made so quickly.
The minister alleged that rules established by the previous LDF government allowed bars that had been closed for years to obtain licences within 24 hours. Liju claimed these loopholes were being used and stated that the Excise Commissioner was not informed about some of these licence grants.
According to India Today, the minister noted that three excise officials were recently suspended for issuing licences to hotels in the Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. This occurred despite the government's stance that no licences would be issued until a new liquor policy is formulated.
Liju said the Kerala High Court has given the government until November 30 to decide on pending bar licence applications. He noted that the court accepted the government's position that a social impact study is required alongside a hotel's star classification.
The minister added that the government will also investigate complaints regarding the involvement of retired excise officials in the licensing process. He said the government will call a meeting to examine various complaints and will amend the law if necessary to close existing loopholes.