Oomen Chandy’s total ban Policy on alcohol is eating up his Goverment.

Oomen Chandy’s total plan on alcohol that attracted global media attention a few months ago has turned out to be a case study on how not to frame policies out of political expediency.

The liquor policy has led to loss of revenue, court cases, pushback from Kerala’s lifeline industries such as tourism and IT, and serious allegations of corruption that have made life impossible for Chandy. The worst is a mega scandal involving the finance minister KM Mani who is charged of “making money using the state budget”.

The charges against Mani had been mounted by a section of the liquor contractors a few weeks ago. The working president of the Bar Hotel Owners’Association, Biju Ramesh, had alleged that its members had given Mani Rs 5 crore for opening the bars that had been closed by the government. Under pressure, the government had ordered a vigilance enquiry. Mani, however, brushed off the allegations as baseless even as Chandy came under pressure from the opposition to drop him from his ministry.

Another blow for Chandy came from the Supreme Court. Hearing a petition by some bar owners from the state, the Court on Thursday chided the state government for filing appeals against the interim orders of the Kerala High Court on the issue. The bench said that it was not the job of the Supreme Court to dispose the cases that were under the consideration of the High Court. The SC also questioned the lack of uniformity of the liquor policy.

Src:- http://www.firstpost.com/politics/kerala-alcohol-policy-how-oommen-chandys-total-ban-plan-is-eating-up-his-government-2061287.html

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