Don't enforce ban on non-five-star hotel bars for now: SC to Kerala govt

New Delhi: In a reprieve to bar owners in Kerala, the Supreme Court on Wednesday told the state government not to enforce its order prohibiting functioning of non-five-star hotel bars till Thursday when the court will take up for hearing a batch of petitions challenging the ban order. [caption id=“attachment_1705671” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Kerala government had earlier banned sale of alcohol from anywhere except five-star hotels. AFP[/caption] The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Anil R Dave asked the state government to keep its hands off as it would hear the matter Thursday when it was mentioned by a battery of senior lawyers representing different petitioners. The Kerala government has passed an order banning the sale of liquor at bars and hotels below the five-star category and the ban order comes into force on 11 September. IANS