India: Kerala government drops online liquor sale plan

The Hindu

August 21, 2016

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala has dropped its plan to start online liquor sales during the Onam festival after it ran into criticism from all quarters.

The CPI(M)-led government has said no such decision has been taken. Tourism and Cooperation Minister A.C. Moideen said that neither the State-run Cooperative Consumers Federation (Consumerfed) nor the government had decided to start online foreign liquor trade. Media reports that the decision was taken by Consumerfed — the apex body of consumer cooperatives — were “baseless,” he said in a statement on Friday night.

Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala of the UDF alleged that the plan was part of the government’s agreement with the liquor lobby. It would encourage liquor consumption in the State, he said.

BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan had said the plan would hurt the State’s ‘pride and glory’ during the festival.

Consumerfed chairman M. Mehboob said on August 19 that there was a plan to launch online liquor sales during Onam, but it would be implemented only after discussions with the government. Consumers registering themselves for the products online could order their favourite brand and collect it from outlets by producing the bills, he had said, adding that it was meant to avoid long queues in front of liquor outlets.

Excise Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan had said the proposal was yet to come up before the government.