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A division bench of Kerala High court today extended the working of 420 bar hotels, which are already functioning, till January 20.
The bench comprising Justice KT Sankaran and PD Rajan directed the state government to submit the report of a study on the impact of the new Abkari policy within one month.
Today’s decision comes as a relief to the bar hotels as they could remain open during the Christmas–New Year festival, when the business is at its peak. The bench had earlier allowed these hotels to continue till December 12
Advocate general KP Dhandapani informed the court that the government had appointed a panel, which includes secretaries of tourism and labour departments, to study about the impact of the new Abkari policy on tourism and labour sectors. Based on the report changes would be made in the policy.
The bench rejected a petition filed by the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) against an earlier interim order of the court extending the working of bars till December 12. It posted the case for January 14, 2015.
Earlier, chief minister Oommen Chandy had said there were some practical difficulties in implementing complete prohibition in the state and these should be addressed. There were complaints from the tourism sector that bookings by overseas tour operators were getting cancelled due to the latest Abkari policy. Also, there was opposition from the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) itself. Based on such crucial issues changes in the policy were essential, he said.
In the light of the chief minister’s statement, the high court asked the government to inform about the changes mooted in the Abkari policy so that the court could take an appropriate decision in the appeals filed by the bar hotel owners.
