Stakeholder consensus on flexi bar hours and labour law compliance disposes PIL challenging liquor rule amendments.

J U D G M E N T

Syam Kumar.V.M.,J.

This W.P(PIL) is filed interalia challenging the amendments made to Section 24 and 29 of the Abkari Act vide Ext.P2 Government Notification, which substituted Rule 28 Sub- Rule (1) of the Foreign Liquor Rules , 1953, whereby the working hours of Bar and Hotels in the State of Kerala was varied.

inter alia

2. The petitioner challenges Ext.P2 on the premise that the same is violative of the norms that are in force under the Minimum Wages Act as well as the Labour Act, which envisages the working time of employees. It is also submitted that the said variation militates against the mandates of Article 47 and 48 of the Constitution of India .

3. We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the respondents.

4. We had vide order dated 26.02.2026, directed the Government to convene a meeting of all the stakeholders to resolve the issue.

5. Today, when the matter is taken up for consideration, Ms.Vinitha B., the learned Senior Government Pleader brings to our notice an affidavit filed by the Under Secretary, Labour and Skills Department, Government Secretariat, producing therewith Annexure R7(a), which is a Minutes of the meeting that had been convened as directed by this Court in the interim order.

6. It is noted that all the stakeholders involved in the matter had participated in the meeting and the meeting had resolved the following:

1. ഓരോ(cid:3)(cid:4) ബാ(cid:4)ർ രോ(cid:7)(cid:4)ട്ടൽ ലൈ(cid:11)സെ(cid:13)ൻ(cid:13)(cid:15)ക്കും(cid:17)(cid:18) (cid:3)(cid:4)വി(cid:15)സെ(cid:11) 8 മണി(cid:15) മ(cid:17)തൽ (cid:3)(cid:4)ത്രിത(cid:15) 12 മണി(cid:15)വിസെ(cid:3)യു(cid:17)ള്ള (cid:13)മയുത്തി(cid:15)നി(cid:15)ടയു(cid:15)ൽ, (cid:3)(cid:4)വി(cid:15)സെ(cid:11) 8 മണി(cid:15) മ(cid:17)തൽ (cid:3)(cid:4)ത്രിത(cid:15) 10 മണി(cid:15) വിസെ(cid:3) അസെ(cid:30)ങ്കി(cid:15)ൽ (cid:3)(cid:4)വി(cid:15)സെ(cid:11) 10 മണി(cid:15) മ(cid:17)തൽ (cid:3)(cid:4)ത്രിത(cid:15) 12 വിസെ(cid:3) എന്നി(cid:15)ങ്ങസെനിയു(cid:17)ള്ള (cid:13)മയു(cid:18) (Flexi time) സെത(cid:3)സെ#ട(cid:17)ക്കും(cid:17)വി(cid:4)ൻ അനി(cid:17)മത(cid:15) നിൽകു(cid:17)ന്നി

കു(cid:4)(cid:3)%(cid:18) പ(cid:3)(cid:15)ഗണി(cid:15)ക്കും(cid:4)വി(cid:17)ന്നിത(cid:4)ണി( 2 ബാ(cid:4)ർ രോ(cid:7)(cid:4)ട്ട(cid:11)(cid:15)(cid:11)(cid:17)കുളി(cid:15)സെ(cid:11) ജീ+വിനിക്കും(cid:4)ർക്കും( Labour Act, Minimum Wages Act ത്രിപകു(cid:4)(cid:3)മ(cid:17)ള്ള ആനി(cid:17)കു-(cid:11)%ങ്ങൾ അനി(cid:17)വിദി(cid:15)ക്കുംണി(cid:18). അധി(cid:15)കു (cid:13)മയു(cid:18) രോജീ(cid:4)(cid:11)(cid:15) സെ1യ്യു(cid:17)ന്നി സെത(cid:4)ഴി(cid:15)(cid:11)(cid:4)ളി(cid:15)കുൾക്കും( ഓവിർ ലൈട(cid:18) അ(cid:11)വിൻ(cid:13)( അനി(cid:17)വിദി(cid:15)ക്കുംണി(cid:18). ഇക്കും(cid:4)(cid:3)%ത്തി(cid:15)ൽ സെത(cid:4)ഴി(cid:15)ൽ വികു(cid:17)പ്പ്( ആവിശ്യ%മ(cid:4)യു നിടപട(cid:15)കുൾ (cid:13)7+കു(cid:3)(cid:15)രോക്കുംണ്ടത(cid:4)ണി(.

3 സെ(cid:13)ക്കുംൻഡ്(‌(cid:13)( മദി%ത്തി(cid:15)നി(സെ; വി(cid:15)ല്പനി= തടയു(cid:17)ന്നിത(cid:15)നി(cid:4)യു(cid:15) ബാ+വിരോ;ജീ‌(cid:13)( ( ഔട്ട( ലൈ(cid:11)റ്റു(cid:17)കുളി(cid:17)സെട ത്രിപവിർത്തിനി (cid:13)മയു(cid:18) (cid:3)(cid:4)വി(cid:15)സെ(cid:11) 8 മ(cid:17)തൽ (cid:3)(cid:4)ത്രിത(cid:15) 9 വിസെ(cid:3) ആയു(cid:15) വിർധി(cid:15)പ്പ്(cid:15)ക്കും(cid:17)ന്നിത(

പ(cid:3)(cid:15)ഗണി(cid:15)ക്കും(cid:4)വി(cid:17)ന്നിത(cid:4)ണി(

7. In view of the said resolutions arrived at the joint meeting wherein all the stakeholders were participated, the apprehensions and grievances as expressed by the petitioner in the W.P(PIL) already stands substantially redressed.

8. We also take note of paragraph 4 and 5 of the affidavit filed by the Under Secretary, Labour and Skills Department, which is reiterated below:

“4. The Additional Chief Secretary (Taxes) thereafter communicated th