THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Friday issued orders allowing closed liquor outlets, including bars and beer/wine parlours, to reopen in grama panchayats with a population of 10,000 people. The order also allows liquor shops to re -open in tourism zones.
The decision comes close on the heels of the Supreme Court order exempting gram panchayat areas that have an urban nature from its earlier order banning liquor shops within 500 metres of NH/state highways across the country. Friday’s decision will see around three shut bars and nearly 150 beer and wine parlours reopening in the state.
Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan told reporters the order was not meant to allow new bars to open in the state. Only those bars that were shut earlier following the SC order would be opened.
Friday’s order does not touch upon the question of fresh applications for opening bars. However, sources said applications for bars in new three-star hotels would be entertained in the light of the new order.
It was in December 2016 the Supreme Court first issued an order banning liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways.
Later, it was amended to exempt municipal areas. The court had asked state governments to decide where to open the shops. In a more recent order, the SC also exempted grama panchayat areas having an urban nature from its order. This has effectively led to the reopening of all shut outlets.