The government will go on appeal against the High Court order striking down its policy decision to deny bar licences to three-star hotels and impose distance restrictions on sanctioning new bars.
The decision to go on appeal was taken at an official conference convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Tuesday night.
The conference, which was attended by the Advocate General and other high-level officials, concluded that there was scope for appeal against the court decision.
The court decision, according to the government, tended to defeat its objective of reducing liquor consumption.
However, the court had observed that the State could not achieve any reduction in consumption of liquor within the State by denying licences to three-star hotels.
The customers of the hotels were mostly outsiders and denial of bar licences would hit tourism.
Minister for Excise K. Babu told the media after the meeting that senior lawyers would be engaged to fight the case before the Supreme Court. The Advocate General had been asked to take steps for that.
A policy matter
Mr. Babu told The Hindu that the government would take the stand that restrictions on sale of liquor was a policy matter.
The government had a monopoly over its sale by law and hence had the right to bring restrictions.
