Mandatory Aadhaar card age verification for customers consuming alcohol in bars in Kerala

Kerala Excise Minister M. Liju has instructed all bars in the state to verify the age of customers through their Aadhaar cards before serving them alcohol. If a customer is suspected to be under 23 years of age, it is mandatory for the bar to check their identity documents. The Minister has warned that strict action will be taken against any establishment that serves alcohol to minors. According to a report by The Hindu, the Minister clarified that bars violating the rules will have their licences suspended.

This strict directive has been issued following a drunk driving accident in Nedumbassery, which resulted in the deaths of three people. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the 19-year-old youth involved in the accident is said to have consumed alcohol from four different bars, leading to the car accident where three youths lost their lives. Minister Liju stated that he has personally instructed the Excise Department to register a case following this accident. He further added that the licences of the bars found to have served alcohol to minors have already been suspended.

The Minister emphasised that the legal age for consuming alcohol in the state is 23 years and the entire responsibility of not serving alcohol to minors will lie with the bars. He said that if minors are served alcohol and subsequently cause an accident that devastates families, strict measures will be taken against the bars in such circumstances. The Excise Department is constantly monitoring and the government will provide full cooperation to the officers taking action against violators.

Alongside this, the Minister informed that the current UDF government is working on a new liquor policy. The main objective of this new policy is to maintain a balance between social responsibility and the interests of the tourism sector. Liju stated that the UDF government's policy will be different from the previous LDF administration and it will not merely follow the previous policy. The government's aim is to reduce alcohol consumption without harming the tourism sector and to promote a culture of responsible drinking in Kerala, as the tourism sector provides employment and livelihood for many.

The first round of discussions regarding the new liquor policy was completed in the month of October. The government intends to announce this policy in November, which has also been informed to the Kerala High Court. Referring to the previous government's 'Horti Vines' policy, the Minister stated that the decision to allow the sale of such products through bakeries was taken by amending the relevant rules. However, the current government has cancelled the licences granted for selling Horti Vines through bakeries, as the government believes that beverages containing 15 per cent alcohol are not suitable for sale through such outlets. Liju said that although the concept of Horti Vines may benefit farmers, its distribution must be done with social responsibility.

Furthermore, the Excise Department is investigating whether officials, including Deputy Excise Commissioners, issued licences by using the amended provisions during the previous LDF government period, thereby going against the current government's policy. The Minister stated that he has received information that certain activities may have been contrary to the government's policy. If it is found that licences were granted using the rules brought in by the previous administration, the government will take strict action against it. The UDF's liquor policy will emphasise social responsibility and will be different from the previous government.