Thiruvananthapuram: Governor P. Sathasivam on Friday signed the ordinance depriving local bodies of the power to regulate the establishment of liquor outlets. The Governor gave assent to the ordinance shortly before a delegation of anti-liquor activists called on him to oppose the ordinance. The cabinet on Wednesday had approved the ordinance amending the Kerala Municipalities Act clause 447 and Kerala Panchayat Raj Act clause 232 to take away the provision of mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from local bodies for setting up liquor shops.
With the promulgation of ordinance now permission from the excise department would be enough to open liquor shops. The local bodies NOC was made mandatory for opening liquor shops by the previous Oommen Chandy Government. The state government clarified that the amendment was put in place to ensure a uniform policy for end the discrimination between the existing license holders and the new applicants. The ordinance comes at a time when agitations are taking place in different parts of the state opposing the opening of liquor shops. Coming as it is ahead of the new liquor policy which is to be announced before June 30, speculations are rife that the state was keen on restoring licenses of three star and above bar hotels.
