“Rule 27 (a) of the Kerala Foreign Liquor rules and Condition No 9 (a) of the FL3 License Terms prohibits bars from employing women to serve liquor. At the same time, The High Court had once clarified in a case that this provision does not exist. However, the rule has not been amended. The rule will be amended based on the observation of the High Court,” he added.

Earlier, the excise has registered a case against the ‘Fly-High’ bar, near the Kochi shipyard, for serving liquor using women. Additionally, the excise officials also found discrepancies in the bar’s stock register. Following this, the bar manager was arrested and released on bail.
Foreign women were employed for serving liquor at the Fly-High Hotel. The fact came to light after a video of the women employees at the bar surfaced.

At the same time, women are also working in beverage outlets in the state. Earlier, the high court had ruled in favour of a petition filed by a woman seeking an appointment at the BEVCO outlet. While considering the plea, the High Court had pointed out that the provision in the rule which bans women employees in bars would not exist.