Kerala Excise Minister to probe haste in granting bar licenses

Kerala Excise Minister M. Liju told journalists in Delhi on Monday that an investigation will be conducted to determine whether there was any "unnecessary haste" by officials in granting bar licenses. He clarified that the current government's stance is that licenses will not be issued without conducting a social impact study.

Minister Liju alleged that due to certain loopholes in the rules formulated by the previous LDF government, licenses were being granted within 24 hours even to bars that had been closed for years. He added that the reasons behind these hasty decisions would be investigated, as the Excise Commissioner was not even informed about the licensing process. The Minister assured that all loopholes would be plugged and the law would be amended if necessary.

According to a Hindustan Times report, several applications for bar licenses are pending with the government. The Kerala High Court was informed that licenses cannot be granted solely based on the star classification of a hotel, and a social impact study is mandatory. The High Court accepted the government's position and has granted time until November 30 to decide on the pending applications.

The Excise Minister stated that no licenses would be issued until a new liquor policy is formulated; nevertheless, three excise officials were recently suspended for granting licenses to three hotels in Ernakulam and Kottayam districts. This suspension marks the beginning of an investigation into whether unnecessary haste was exercised in the licensing process.

The Minister further mentioned that numerous complaints have been received regarding the granting of bar licenses, due to which a detailed meeting will be convened to investigate the matter. He stated firmly, "We will not allow anyone to undermine the government's policy." Additionally, complaints have been received that retired excise officials are interfering in the licensing process, which will also be investigated. Liju added that decisions of this department have a significant impact on society, making it essential to carry out all proceedings with extreme caution.