The Kerala government will ensure that bar licences are issued only with its knowledge and in accordance with the state’s liquor policy, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The statement signals a proposed change in the approval process amid questions over the issuance of bar licences by excise department officials without the knowledge of the Excise Minister.
Speaking at a post-cabinet press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan asserted that no bar licence would be granted in the state without the government’s knowledge. His remarks came a day after Excise Minister M.L. Liju reportedly alleged that certain bar licences had been issued by deputy excise commissioners and Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao without informing him.
The licences in question reportedly included permissions for operating bars at the domestic lounge of Cochin International Airport, bringing the approval process under scrutiny.
According to the report, the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had introduced a provision allowing deputy excise commissioners and the excise commissioner to issue bar licences without requiring the minister’s knowledge. The current United Democratic Front (UDF) government intends to change this arrangement and bring the licensing process under closer government oversight.
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The proposed change could strengthen administrative oversight within Kerala’s excise department and bring greater government supervision to decisions concerning new bar licences and permissions. However, the report did not specify when the revised licensing arrangement would formally come into effect or outline the proposed administrative procedure.
Separately, the Chief Minister also addressed the state’s position on the Centre’s PM SHRI scheme. He said Kerala could not unilaterally withdraw from the memorandum of understanding signed with the Union government because the agreement contained provisions restricting such a move. According to Satheesan, only the Union government could decide on withdrawal, while matters concerning PM SHRI were currently being examined by a subcommittee.
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