HC: Relook Petition by 4-star Hotels

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to reconsider applications by owners of 13 four-star hotels for bar licence, pass appropriate order within eight weeks and ordered to consider 13 applications which were either rejected or freshly submitted.

The government had earlier rejected 12 applications seeking to renew their bar licences while the 13th is a fresh application.

Justice C K Abdul Rehim passed the interim order on the petitions filed by JK Residency, Kelakam, and 12 others seeking a directive to the state government to accept their application in the light of the Supreme Court judgment on March, 5, 2014.

The petitioners submitted that as per clause 8(f) of the guidelines issued by the Department of Tourism, in order to classify the hotel as a four star, bar licence is a must.