Bar licence can be given to three star hotels, orders HC

KOCHI: The High Court annulled the governmental amendment of the Abkary policy regarding the non-issuance of bar licence to three-star hotels.


The division bench with justices C N Ramachandran and Vinod Chandran proclaimed the order on a petition submitted by a group of disgruntled hotel owners and bar owners in opposition to the governmental stance that bar licences need to be issued only to hotels with four star facilities or above.  


The court has also negated the governmental amendment adding the distance clause which restricted bars from operating in the vicinity of certain institutions.


The division bench noted the amendment to be unscientific and declared true the argument put forth in the petition that it would have a negative effect on the tourism industry.