The judicial ups and downs haunting the Kerala Government’s decision to get liquor bars closed continued on Friday when a Division Bench of the High Court stayed for a month Thursday’s single-judge decision of ordering all bars below the four-star status to be closed.
In less than 24 hours after the single-judge decision, and a couple of hours after the Excise Department officials got all the 251 bars sealed, the whole scenario changed. These bars, mostly in the three-star category, can now function for one more month.
Government’s miseryThe division-bench decision is generally viewed as a setback to the Oommen Chandy Government and its controversial liquor policy that aimed for a gradual prohibition over the next ten years. The Congress-led UDF Government which has been facing criticism for its liquor policy dubbed ‘impracticable and skewed’ was obviously embarrassed by the unexpected stay.
In a few hours after Thursday’s single-judge decision, the Government had asked the bars to fold by 11 pm after the day’s business. At many bars, a part of the remaining liquor was sold at concessional rates. Drinkers, who had crowded the bars thinking it would be their last day at the bars, had a field day.
On Friday morning, the bar owners’ association moved an appeal before the High Court division bench seeking a stay on Thursday’s order. Shortly after midday the division bench allowed the stay petition, bringing cheers to bar owners and drinkers but gloom to the Government and anti-liquor activists. The judicial saga had started in early September. The Government had asked bars to fold by September 12 against which the bar owners moved the High Court. When the High Court refused to intervene, the bar owners approached the Supreme Court which granted stay until September 30. Due to the stay, the bars escaped getting closed. Later, on another petition by the bar owners, the Supreme Court allowed the bars to function until the single-judge bench of the Kerala High Court gave its verdict.