The Kerala High Court has admitted a writ petition alleging that liquor is being sold and served to persons below 23 years of age in violation of Sections 15A and 15B of the Kerala Abkari Act, and has directed the Excise Commissioner to file a statement disclosing the directions issued to implement those provisions, along with suggestions on how they can be enforced. Justice A. Badharudeen posted the case, W.P.(Crl.) No. 1746 of 2026, for further consideration on November 24.

Source: Live Law

Hearing the petition filed by journalist Vinod Vikraman Pillai, the Court observed that it is “high time for the legislatures to consider appropriate amendments in the statutes which deal with the 'juveniles and child in conflict' with law to reduce age to 16 years, taking note of the present trend showing sufficient maturity by children when they reach the age of 16.” The order is an interim one: the Court recorded no finding on the petitioner's allegations, and the remark on the juvenile age is an observation for lawmakers to consider, not a direction — it does not change the law.

Source: LawStreet

According to the petition, commercial bar establishments in Kerala are serving alcohol to persons below 23 without verifying their age, despite the statutory prohibition. The plea points to the recent fatal accident at Nedumbassery involving a Mini Cooper car, and states that the accused persons, aged 19, were served alcohol at multiple bar establishments in Ernakulam before the crash, and that the Excise Department has registered cases against three bars under the Abkari Act. These are the petitioner's allegations, which the Court has not endorsed; the petition also alleges, in its words, a “corrupt criminal nexus” between excise officials and bar managements in Ernakulam — again an allegation the Court made no finding on.

Source: Live Law

The Court said the petition would require a detailed hearing, noting recent incidents in which persons below 18 caused fatal accidents and motor vehicle mishaps after consuming alcohol, taking advantage of the easy supply and availability of liquor without restriction and ignoring the statutory limits. It directed that the statement also set out how the provisions can be implemented “with a view to save the public from danger”.

Source: LawStreet

Pillai, who says he runs an online news portal, told the Court he had already submitted representations to the Excise Minister, the Excise Commissioner and the Director of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau seeking an independent vigilance investigation into excise officials, binding directions for electronic ID-based age verification before liquor is served, licence suspension or cancellation and prosecution of bars serving those below 23, and a dedicated round-the-clock whistleblowing hotline under the Excise Intelligence Branch. He approached the High Court saying those representations were not considered.

Source: Live Law

Under the law as it stands, persons below 18 are treated as children, and the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015 already allows those aged 16 to 18 who are accused of heinous offences to be tried as adults in certain circumstances after a preliminary assessment. The High Court's observation does not lower that threshold; only an amendment by the legislature could do so. The petition is also separate from the criminal proceedings in the Nedumbassery crash itself, in which the High Court has earlier dealt with bail pleas of the accused.

Source: Madhyamam