1. The landmark judgement by a division bench of the High Court has upheld the state government's decision to close down all bars except 24 in the environs of five star hotels. It also underlined the following aspects:-
(a) the formulation of a liquor policy is very much within the purview of the state government.
(b) access to a bar is not a citizen's fundamental right.
(c) to the specific plea that a blanket ban on liquor will adversely affect the tourism industry, the
court countered with, "if the tourists asked for cocaine, would the tourism industry be obliged to
provide the same?"
Background
2. In a dramatic turn of events from 01 Apr '14 to 31 Mar '15, 718 bars were closed down in Kerala, by the state government, because many of them operating in four star and three star hotels lacked hygiene and cleanliness. Some of the other contributing factors that brought about the liquor policy are as follows:-
(a) VM Sudheeran, the KPCC president and a long time rival to Oommen Chandy, the CM pitches
for prohibition.
(b) Muslim League, the second strong constituent of the UDF, favours prohibition.
(c) All the denominations of the church favour prohibition (The paradox is that a large number of
the bars shut down belong to Christian business class!).
(d) Oommen Chandy, therefore, calls for a phased prohibition and gets the overwhelming support
of his party, thereby, checkmating Sudheeran's stand on the issue! The state's liquor policy, thus, takes shape.
(e) It gets widespread support from the womenfolk, especially those suffering from alcoholic
addicts as husbands - cutting across party lines - which is a powerful and alluring vote bank!
(f) The only opposition was from the common man, the business class and as stated earlier, the
tourism sector that fears that foreign tourists will stay away on account of its non availability!!
The aftermath
3. The aforesaid factors must not make an outsider jump to the conclusion that Kerala is gonna be a 'dry' state forthwith. The following outlets will continue to be available with a modified(?) addition:-
(a) the 24 five star bar hotels(As cited above).
(b) the 322 state run Beverages Corporation and Consumerfed retail outlets
(c) the 499 Beer and Wine parlours with a proviso for the shut bars to convert themselves into
Beer and Wine parlours.
Things to ponder
4. (a) The LDF will not be able to oppose the government's liquor policy because of its likely effect
on the massive vote bank that supports it.
(b) What will happen to the allegations and counter allegations on three of the ministers - the chief
among them being the finance minister himself - in the infamous bar bribery case? The new
liquor policy scripted by the ministry has been given a stamp of approval by the court and so,
the argument that they'd acted otherwise, crumbles!
Tailpiece.
The new liquor policy seems to be logical enough though, it's come about in a game of one upmanship! What I'd like to reiterate is that the need of the hour, however, is to reduce consumption and not introduce prohibition!
(a) the formulation of a liquor policy is very much within the purview of the state government.
(b) access to a bar is not a citizen's fundamental right.
(c) to the specific plea that a blanket ban on liquor will adversely affect the tourism industry, the
court countered with, "if the tourists asked for cocaine, would the tourism industry be obliged to
provide the same?"
Background
2. In a dramatic turn of events from 01 Apr '14 to 31 Mar '15, 718 bars were closed down in Kerala, by the state government, because many of them operating in four star and three star hotels lacked hygiene and cleanliness. Some of the other contributing factors that brought about the liquor policy are as follows:-
(a) VM Sudheeran, the KPCC president and a long time rival to Oommen Chandy, the CM pitches
for prohibition.
(b) Muslim League, the second strong constituent of the UDF, favours prohibition.
(c) All the denominations of the church favour prohibition (The paradox is that a large number of
the bars shut down belong to Christian business class!).
(d) Oommen Chandy, therefore, calls for a phased prohibition and gets the overwhelming support
of his party, thereby, checkmating Sudheeran's stand on the issue! The state's liquor policy, thus, takes shape.
(e) It gets widespread support from the womenfolk, especially those suffering from alcoholic
addicts as husbands - cutting across party lines - which is a powerful and alluring vote bank!
(f) The only opposition was from the common man, the business class and as stated earlier, the
tourism sector that fears that foreign tourists will stay away on account of its non availability!!
The aftermath
3. The aforesaid factors must not make an outsider jump to the conclusion that Kerala is gonna be a 'dry' state forthwith. The following outlets will continue to be available with a modified(?) addition:-
(a) the 24 five star bar hotels(As cited above).
(b) the 322 state run Beverages Corporation and Consumerfed retail outlets
(c) the 499 Beer and Wine parlours with a proviso for the shut bars to convert themselves into
Beer and Wine parlours.
Things to ponder
4. (a) The LDF will not be able to oppose the government's liquor policy because of its likely effect
on the massive vote bank that supports it.
(b) What will happen to the allegations and counter allegations on three of the ministers - the chief
among them being the finance minister himself - in the infamous bar bribery case? The new
liquor policy scripted by the ministry has been given a stamp of approval by the court and so,
the argument that they'd acted otherwise, crumbles!
Tailpiece.
The new liquor policy seems to be logical enough though, it's come about in a game of one upmanship! What I'd like to reiterate is that the need of the hour, however, is to reduce consumption and not introduce prohibition!
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