Thiruvananthapuram: The state government is set to restrict the authority of the Excise Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners to grant bar licences. The Cabinet meeting decided to amend the rules and issue a official circular in this regard. The authority to issue bar licences will be retained exclusively by the government until the UDF’s new liquor policy is unveiled.

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It was the previous LDF government that empowered Deputy Commissioners at the district level to grant bar licences. Based on this, the issuance of new bar licences in Ernakulam and Kottayam sparked controversy. The government subsequently took action against the officials responsible for this.

It had been directed that licences should not be granted to bars under the previous government's rules until the new liquor policy comes into force.

The LDF, on the other hand, criticised the Chief Minister and the Excise Minister, arguing that they were scapegoating officials without amending the rules. The decision to amend the rules also serves as a political response to this criticism.

Deputy Commissioners claim Commissioner issued licences  

It was the Deputy Commissioners who revealed that Excise Commissioner Sriram Sambasiva Rao had granted a bar licence in the lounge of Nedumbassery Airport. The Excise Commissioners who faced action over the sanctioning of bars in Ernakulam and Kottayam pointed this out in a petition filed with the Tribunal against the measures taken against them.

CM and Excise Minister are lying: M B Rajesh

Former Excise Minister M B Rajesh alleged that the right to renew bar licences at airports was granted to Excise Commissioners during the tenure of the Oommen Chandy government. He stated that the LDF government had only granted Deputy Commissioners the authority to renew bar licences. He also accused Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Excise Minister M Liju of spreading untruths.