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Kerala High Court upholds prohibition plans
Plans to enforce partial prohibition in the state of Kerala – India’s largest consumer of alcohol – have been upheld by the Kerala High Court.
The ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol was proposed by Kerala’s United Demographic Front (UDF) in order to tackle the state’s drinking problem, which has the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the country at 8.3 litres.
The national per capita consumption is less than half that, at four litres.
As a result, nearly 700 bars and shops will be closed in a move towards total prohibition within 10 years time.
“The court has approved our prohibition policy… The long-term ban plan will stay and the state will be free of alcohol in 10 years,” K Babu, Kerala’s excise minister told the BBC.
Indian officials first proposed a blanket ban on alcohol sales in Kerala back in August.
However, hoteliers, bar owners and spirits producers hit out at the decision, citing concerns over the effect it would have on businesses and tourism, and have said they will now take their plight to the Supreme Court.
Prohibition is already active in several Indian states, including Gujarat, Mizoram, Nagaland, parts of Manipur and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.