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Kerala bar owners come up with new ways to escape Supreme Court ruling

  • Bar owners have asked state government to issue bar licence to them
  • They must be allowed to open liquor outlets 500 metres from the highway
  • They have asked government to denotify highways to escape the ruling
Bar owners new idea escape Supreme Court ruling

Bar owners in Kerala have now come up with a new demand to escape Supreme Court ruling to shut down all liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highway. They have asked state government to issue bar licence to three-star or fancier hotels along highways and to allow them to open bars 500 metres from the highway. 

Also read: Kerala's new liquor policy: Green signal for 3-star bars, toddy in hotels

Bar Owners Association states that the new liquor policy will not benefit them. Of the 815 hotels in the state, 474 along the highways had to shut down beer and wine parlours. New liquor policy permits wine and beer parlours and bars to operate as long as they are 500 metres from the highway. However, the new policy is beneficial for beverages outlets and toddy shops, the association said. 

Bar owners states that they cannot relocate hotels and the only way to overcome Supreme Court order is to issue bar licence to hotels and to allow them to open liquor outlets 500 metres from the highway. 

Read more: 10 things you should know about Kerala's liquor policy

They have also proposed another alternative, to allow them to serve alcohol in hotel rooms and it is for the government to get a positive response from Supreme Court. In case it is not possible, state government must denotify highways to escape the apex court ruling. 
 

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