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3 min readThiruvanananthapuramUpdated: Feb 18, 2026 08:42 PM IST
Most bars in Kerala have so far been allowed to operate between 11 am and 11 pm. (Source: Generated by AI)
The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala has decided to allow bars to stay open till midnight.
Most bars in Kerala have so far been allowed to operate between 11 am and 11 pm. However, bars in tourist areas could remain open till midnight. Now, all bars will be allowed to operate between 10 am and 12 midnight. However, bars in five-star hotels can remain open until 3 am.
At the same time, the operating timing of state-run liquor retailer BEVCO will remain unchanged — from 10 am to 9 pm.
Kerala Excise Minister M B Rajesh told reporters that this was not a case of bar operating hours being extended; “rather, they were standardised. The timings have been till midnight in tourism centres, and it has now been made binding across the state. There has been a grouse before the government that it is imposing more restrictions on the bar hotel industry even after collecting hefty licence fees of Rs 35 lakh a year.”
Kerala levies Rs 35 lakh from such establishments as annual licence fees — the highest in South India. The relaxations have been given, taking the tourism perspective into consideration, the minister said. He pointed out that bar timings in Karnataka are from 9 am to midnight, and that in Andhra Pradesh, it is from 10 am to 11 pm.
Opposition Leader V D Satheesan of the Congress slammed the decision and questioned its timing, coming ahead of the Assembly elections this year. “The LDF partners were in the dark about the decision, and the issue was not debated in the Cabinet. There is something fishy in this sudden decision when the Assembly elections are set to begin,” he alleged.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that corruption was the reason behind the government’s decision.
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Johnson Edayaranmula, executive director of the National Resource Centre for Non-communicable Diseases, criticised the decision as a dangerous public policy failure that would fuel increased alcohol consumption and have devastating consequences. “This decision will place an unbearable burden on Kerala’s healthcare system, law enforcement agencies, and already strained families,” he said.
The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, which had been at the forefront of the temperance movement in Kerala, reacted through a statement on its Facebook page, saying, “The policy, which will spoil society, should be corrected.”
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
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