Kerala liquor policy: Dry day exception, extended bar hours only for tourism sector

Thiruvananthapuram: The government of Kerala has put on hold the proposed changes to the liquor policy to avoid controversy ahead of the upcoming elections. The draft policy included several key suggestions including eliminating dry days (first day of every month), extending bar hours by 30 minutes in the morning and evening, and offering concessions for beer and wine in tourism areas.

Under the revised proposal, the changes would only apply to the tourism sector, limiting the removal of dry days and the extended bar hours to establishments catering to tourists.

Previously, a recording surfaced of an organisation leader discussing how to circumvent dry days and increasing bar hours, suggesting that each bar owner should contribute Rs 1 lakh as bribe. This raised allegations of corruption against the government, leading to a retreat on the proposed changes.

As a result, the government decided to restrict the concessions to the tourism sector alone. Even these limited relaxations could lead to further accusations and controversies once the elections are over.

The government justified the removal of the dry day ban on the first day of the month, stating that it causes many international conferences and corporate meetings to be held in other states. This suggestion reportedly came from the Tourism Department, which took precedence over the Excise Department. It has been argued that limitations on bar hours could negatively impact the tourist experience.