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The state government has decided to allow bars to operate till the end of Onam festival season.
At a high-level meeting in Thiruvananthapuram today, excise minister K Babu said the government would grant a 15-day notice period for the closure of the 312 operating bars.
According to the minister, the move has been initiated as the Advocate General had advised that closure of the bars without valid legal notices would not stand before the law. Moreover, during Onam, liquor sale is at its highest. Onam season this year begins on August 29 and ends September 9. These bars have been allowed to operate till September 12.
Babu also said the government had intelligence information there would be a deliberate attempt to make hooch tragedies across the state during the season in order to sabotage the government’s move towards total prohibition by 2023.
He clarified the department would issue revocation notices to all the 712 bars owners in order to return the licences issued earlier.
Earlier, a high-power committee of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government decided to close the bars from August 26.
Meanwhile, the Kerala high court today posted the hearing to September 17 in a case filed by the 418 bar owners, which have not been operating for the last three months. The state government filed its fresh Abkari policy before the bench today.
