India's Kerala High Court upholds alcohol ban

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Suspended

Posted: 10 years ago

The Kerala High Court has upheld the state government's decision to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol to tackle the state's drink problem.

The order means that nearly 700 bars as well as some shops will be shut in a move towards total prohibition.

Bar owners and hoteliers who challenged the government order say they will now appeal in the Supreme Court.

Kerala has India's highest per capita alcohol consumption at more than eight litres per person yearly.

The national annual average for alcohol consumption is estimated to be about 5.7 litres per person.

"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, the state's excise minister, told the BBC.

In August, Kerala announced plans to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol and said it aimed to enforce total prohibition within 10 years.

The plans include shutting down bars and shops selling alcohol and introducing more alcohol-free days. It said only luxury hotels would be allowed to serve alcohol.

Bar owners say the move is discriminatory and affects their business. They also fear that it will deter tourists.

Doctors and activists have highlighted rising alcohol abuse, blaming it for many road accidents and even marital breakdown. They say hospitals and rehabilitation centres in Kerala are packed with patients suffering from alcohol-related diseases.

Correspondents say it is not clear how the government plans to recover lost earnings from alcohol sales, which by one estimate accounts for more than 20% of revenues in the state's annual budget.

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Should government ban Alcohol, since most crime happens under the influence of alcohol ?

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Frequent Posters

@K.Universe.

Voyager

Posted: 10 years ago

Nooo! Not alcohol! What new nautanki is this?! 😆

I have a feeling the ones who supported the beef ban on this forum will oppose this and the ones who opposed the beef ban will support this 😆

I don't feel strongly for or against this ban. I do agree with the high court's position that alcohol is not a fundamental right. I will withhold more comments for now. See which way the debate swings.

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later ;)

@QuietlyLoud

Voyager

+ 2

Posted: 10 years ago

Yes it should banned,for only one reason.-Drunk driving.

The state has the highest per capita consumption of alcohol and high percent of drunk driven fatalities.

I don't know how it is anywhere else but people here have a terrible habit of going for a drive when they're tipsy.Of late there had been strict patrolling to catch them and even the first time offenders would have their driving license suspended.Still,the accidents are not coming down at all.So I don't know whether anything else would work,but a ban.

Edit -- (since I sense a connection of this topic with another ban topic😆)

No,no I'm not advocating it for any particular religion😆 Drunk driving is so common here.So my stand is strictly regarding public safety.And my safety as well.Getting driven over by a drunk lunatic is the last thing I fancy.

If,somehow drunken people can be kept off the road,then I'd rather not have the ban.

Edited by QuietlyLoud - 10 years ago

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Mini

@iMini

Sparkler

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

Alcohol MUST be banned.I don't believe people find this topic debatable.

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_Angie_

@_Angie_

Rocker

Posted: 10 years ago

Wow! Another ban! Hope those who wanted the beef ban to be applied nation wide feel just as enthusiastic about extending this one 😆 Would like to see which way this debate's gonna go 😆

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return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

Prohibition is a very bad idea. It just leads to a whole illegal alcohol market that is much more problematic. I can see illegal toddy shops cropping up all over. Most crimes don't happen under influence. If you put together all crimes committed, you will get more crimes committed sober than drunk.

Drunk driving is a problem. That can be addressed by harsher drunk driving laws. More cops in bar areas, checking people. Developing safe ride programs. Creating alcohol abuse treatment programs.

Bans like this are ridiculous because they deny law abiding citizens their freedoms. Just because a few people are irresponsible does not mean you should punish the responsible people. There are many people who have a drink or two to unwind at the end of a day, for dinner and conversations with friends. There are many people who always have a designated driver or use public transit.

I think this ban will end badly just like prohibition.

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Mini

@iMini

Sparkler

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

RTH,alcohol is something responsible people can live without.
Countless of people spending all their income on alcohol and irresponsible driving, health issues,should such reasons not be enough to ban alcohol?

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return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 10 years ago

Originally posted by: iMini
RTH,alcohol is something responsible people can live without.

People can live without many things. That doesn't mean we should. People need to be assured of certain personal freedoms.

Originally posted by: iMini
Countless of people spending all their income on alcohol and irresponsible driving, health issues,should such reasons not be enough to ban alcohol?

That is their problem.

Why punish everyone because some people are stupid? That is like not letting healthy people enjoy junk food once in a while because a fraction of the population is getting obese.

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Mini

@iMini

Sparkler

+ 3

Posted: 10 years ago

Getting obese is better than getting your liver damaged.
I don't believe you are comparing junk food with alcohol.
Who will suffer?
Only addicts and manufacturers will suffer.
Beef can fill stomachs of sane people unlike alcohol.So comparing alcohol ban with beef ban is ridiculous.
What next? Don't tell me you support tobacco,marijuana,etc etc.

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_Angie_

@_Angie_

Rocker

Posted: 10 years ago

#10

Didnt seem to work! The Kerala Govt diluted the ban in Dec 2014.

"In its August order, the government said only luxury hotels were allowed to serve alcohol and introduced more alcohol-free days. Sundays too were made dry days.

On Thursday, Mr Chandy said liquor stores would now remain open on Sundays and hotels would get license to sell light alcoholic beverages like wine and beer.

"Thousands of people have lost their jobs since the bars were shut down and 10 of them killed themselves," he added.

More than 20% of revenues in the state's annual budget come from alcohol sales and the ban has hit Kerala's 229bn-rupee tourism industry hard.

Tour operators say there have been several cancellations, especially conferences on weekends, since the ban was imposed."