The state government has decided not to grant any more bar licences, stated an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on Monday. The state govt also said that it had amended the statutes related to its liquor policy to suit this.
The apex court directed the state to submit a new affidavit by adding new developments while adjourning the case to March 19.
The state government had approached the court challenging the Kerala High Court order which cancelled new clauses in its liquor policy which restricts bar licences to three-star hotels and new bar hotels within 1 km of existing bars in cities and 3 km elsewhere. However, the apex court did not stay the High Court order.
The state government had appointed former High Court judge M Ramachandran to study the new liquor policy. The state informed the court that it has decided against granting new bar licences till the commission submitted its recommendations.
Statutes were amended on February 12 to suit this, stated counsel Gopal Subramaniam and Advocate-General K P Dandapani. The Division Bench, headed by Justice S S Nijjar, stated that the court can also consider the contempt petition filed by hotel owners against the state government alleging failure in implementing the Supreme Court order, along with the case, on March 19.