No liquor after 10 pm on New Year's eve across Kerala: Rishi Raj Singh

Thiruvananthapuram: The excise authorities have directed the hotels and clubs across the state to stop serving liquor by 10 p.m. during the New Year’s eve celebrations.

“The New Year’s eve is like any other normal day for excise. There will not be any relaxations. All clubs and beer parlours will have to stop serving liquor by 10 p.m. There is no need for any fresh directives in this regard,” said Excise Commissioner Rishi Raj Singh.

Meanwhile, excise officials have already advised all clubs, beer parlours and hotels to close liquor and beer outlets by 10 p.m. Excise officials are also planning to conduct surprise checks.

The excise has been maintaining a vigil across the state over the last one month as part of Christmas - New Year celebrations and seized about five tonnes of ganja from neighbouring states. The excise commissioner himself visited all districts as part of the special drive. Excise officials also carried out frequent raids on hotels and beer parlours at tourist spots to check unauthorised storing of liquor.

After the LDF government came to power, the excise department registered 16,217 abkari cases, 2011 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and 36,881 cases under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act. As many as 17,441 persons were held in these cases.