THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala high court has come down heavily on the government for its order allowing supply of liquor to those who get it prescribed by doctors. The court, moreover, stayed the order on Thursday.

The court orally expressed doubts on the relevance of the order and criticised it. The stay will be in effect for three weeks. The court issued the stay order after considering petitions filed against the government order.

“The government need not be doctors. Prescribing alcohol is a practise never heard before,” the court pointed out. The government’s order was to sell liquor to those people approaching Bevco with doctor’s prescription.

From the beginning, the government had no intention to close Bevco and continue the status-quo at its outlets. But following the lockdown, the government had no other way but to put down the shutters of the outlets.

On the other hand, the government had issued the order for liquor supply as the cases of suicides in Kerala had been on the rise following the liquor ban.