Amid DJ party restrictions, govt considering withdrawal of 3am permission for star bars

KOCHI: The Kerala government has told the High Court that it is considering withdrawing the permission allowing star-rated bars that pay an additional licence fee to remain open until 3 a.m. The government made the submission while the court was considering a petition filed by Mahadevan, a resident of Udayamperoor and the licensee of the Radisson Blu hotel, challenging the restriction on DJ parties in Kochi after 11 p.m. The government also said a policy decision and an amendment to the relevant rules would be made soon.

The submission came after the court asked whether the extension of bar operating hours was also resulting in DJ parties continuing late into the night and whether withdrawing the extended-hours permission would be a solution. Justice Murali Purushothaman reserved the case for judgment after the arguments were completed.

The government told the court that cases involving narcotic drugs had decreased after restrictions were imposed on DJ parties. It said those who booked venues and came from outside were involved in drug-related transactions.

The court questioned whether only the smaller players were being caught and asked why the source of the drugs was not being identified. The government replied that drugs were being brought into the State from outside and that steps were being taken to prevent this as part of Operation Toofan.

The petitioners, meanwhile, argued that theatres and streets remained active until the early hours and alleged that the notice issued by the Station House Officer (SHO) exceeded his jurisdiction. The government maintained that the restrictions were aimed not at bars but at illegal activities.

34 star bars in Kochi

During the previous government's tenure, on February 13, permission was granted to extend the operating hours of star-rated bars that paid an additional licence fee of Rs 5 lakh.

As many as 34 bars in Kochi obtained the licence. The police have maintained that such DJ gatherings pose a security threat.