2 min readThiruvananthapuramDec 4, 2014 04:18 AM IST
First published on: Dec 4, 2014 at 04:18 AM IST
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Wednesday told the Assembly that the government would bring in necessary changes in the new liquor policy.
Climbing down from his earlier stand that there would not be a review of the new liquor policy, Chandy said the policy would be altered factoring in practical and legal aspects.
The new liquor policy of the Congress government, which envisaged immediate closure of all bar hotels below the five-star category and prohibition in a decade, had faced setback in courts. Besides, the bar hotel owners’ allegation that state Finance Minister K M Mani had accepted bribe for renewing licence has put the government on the defensive.
After the bar hotel owners petitioned the High Court against the closure of the bars, the court had allowed them to function until appeals in the issue were disposed. In another verdict, all four and heritage category hotels got a relief from the court. Taking a cue from that verdict in October, 22 new four-star hotels obtained a verdict Tuesday to the effect that they be given liquor licence.
Stakeholders in the tourism and hotel industry had warned the government that the new liquor policy would hit the state’s tourism industry.
However, Congress state president V M Sudheeran said there was no need for changing the liquor policy.
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