In a momentous judgment, a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday upheld the liquor policy of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government that permitted bars to function only in hotels of five-star and above categories.
The High Court decision resulted in 300 bars in two, three, and four-star hotels being shut down at 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday, leaving just 24 bars in five-star hotels functioning in Kerala. Beer and wine parlours would also continue to function.
The government has hailed the verdict as a vindication of its policy to bring about prohibition in stages. However, bar owners said they would go in appeal against the High Court order on Wednesday. Closure of the two, three, and four-star bars might see a few thousand workers losing their employment.
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The Division Bench, comprising Justice K.T. Sankaran and Justice Babu Mathew P. Joseph, gave its verdict while allowing appeals by the State government against a single bench judgment directing it to allow bars to function four-star and heritage hotels.