Kerala Excise Dept to Sent Notices to Close the Bars

With the recent changes that are to be done in Kerala Liquor policy, the Excise department of the state has decided to issue closure notices to the bars. In this regard, a high-level meeting is scheduled on Tuesday wherein it is likely to entrust the deputy excise commissioners to serve the notices shortly in the state with highest per capita alcohol consumption.

The new policy is to be made inorder to make the state alcohol free state. Excise commissioner Anil Xavier said the department would issue notices after getting legal advice in order to make sure there was no loopholes in the process. There is already a strong criticism against the government’s decision with the Kerala Bar Hotels Association all set to challenge the move.

A high-power committee meeting of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) had last Thursday decided to close all the operating 312 bars, from April 1, 2015. The committee also decided not to open the 418 bars closed three months ago. Besides, all the star category hotels, except 5-star, will not be allowed to serve Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL).

It is alleged the decision to close all the bars in the state was taken without studying its impact on the economy and the finances of the state. The state is facing a serious financial crunch and the government has already raised Rs 4,500 crore from the market mainly to disburse pension and salary.

Earlier, the government had planned to close the bars from Tuesday onwards, without serving notices. However, after legal experts stated this would benefit the bar hotel owners in the court, the department decided to serve notices before acting.

Src- http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/confusion-over-issue-of-notices-to-bars-114082500298_1.html

Found Useful? Do Share: Kerala Excise Dept to Sent Notices to Close the Bars: