Thiruvananthapuram: The second Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala permitted 118 bars to operate in the state over the past two years. The state, which had 718 bars in November 2022, now has 836 watering holes. On average, five new bars were granted permission each month in two years.

The first Pinarayi government justified that it was permitting bars closed during the Oommen Chandy dispensation to reopen. However, the state had 720 bars after the Chandy-led UDF government closed bars, barring those attached to five-star hotels.

Of the 131 new bars permitted to function by the second Pinarayi government, 118 were given licences during the past two years. Ernakulam was allowed the most new bars (25), followed by Thiruvananthapuram (22). All districts, barring Kasaragod, got new bars.

The government has maintained that it cannot deny bar licences to hotels classified three-star or above, according to its policy.

Of the 836 bars in Kerala, 52 have been classified as five-star, and 70 per cent of the remaining ones carry the three-star tag.

The excise policy for the current financial year has yet to be announced. Though the draft policy came up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting, it was not approved. The policy will not be declared in November due to the Model Code of Conduct in force.

Total bars: 836

• Thiruvananthapuram: 94
• Kollam: 70
• Pathanamthitta: 27
• Alappuzha: 50
• Kottayam: 75
• Idukki: 28
• Ernakulam: 195
• Thrissur: 112
• Palakkad: 50
• Malappuram: 50
• Kozhikode: 40
• Wayanad: 18
• Kannur: 37
• Kasaragod: 10