Bars in Kerala Opening Early Will Get Licenses Suspended: Excise Chief
Bars in Kerala are allowed to remain open only between 10 AM and 12 midnight. Meanwhile Excise Minister M Liju had said that some bars open as early as 5:30 AM by bribing officers
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Excise Commissioner Sambashiva Rao has directed Deputy Excise commissioners in the state to suspend the licences of bars in Kerala that open before the stipulated time.His action follows the Kerala Excise Minister M Liju flagging that many bars in Kerala are opening very early in the morning.
The Excise commissioner directed that state Excise range officers and deputy commissioners should check the timing of opening and closing bars at intervals, according to the directives of the Kerala Excise Commissioner.
Bars in Kerala are allowed to remain open only between 10 AM and 12 midnight.
If any excise officer is found to be misusing their power and failing to comply with the orders, strict action would be taken against them, said a circular issued by the Excise Commissioner.
The circular, issued to district officers, specified that multiple complaints have been received over multiple bars operating in Kottayam, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts working beyond the allowed timings.
Earlier, Excise Minister M Liju had said that some bars in Kerala are opening as early as 5:30 am and officers who are responsible to monitor the timings are taking cases of liquor as bribes from these bars and allowing them to operate beyond the legal hours. The minister had made his comments while speaking at an anti-drug awareness event, with the top brass of the state excise department sitting at the stage.
Minister M Liju had said that multiple bar owners and the general public had raised the concern with him. He suggested to the bar owners to keep hidden cameras and record officers demanding bribes, and assured strict actions to be taken against corrupt officers.
