Kerala to allow liquor service in IT parks

The Kerala government has paved the way for serving liquor in IT parks by officially amending the Foreign Liquor Rules. As per the Foreign Liquor (5th Amendment) Rules, 2025, a new category of licence—Foreign Liquor Information Technology Park Lounge Licence—has been introduced, allowing government and private IT parks to serve alcohol within their premises.

The licence will be issued in the name of the developer of the park, at an annual fee of  ₹10 lakh, and will permit liquor service exclusively to employees working within the park and official visitors or guests authorised by the companies operating there.

Only FL-9 licence holders, such as Bevco, can supply liquor to these lounges, and alcohol must be served in a dedicated space separate from the office areas, with independent entry and exit points. Sale or storage of liquor outside the licensed lounge facility is strictly prohibited. Both government-owned IT hubs like Technopark, Infopark, and Cyberpark, as well as public-private partnership ventures like Smart City Kochi and private IT parks, are eligible to apply. However, only one lounge licence will be sanctioned per park.

Liquor can be served from 12 pm to 12 am, but dry day restrictions, including the first day of each month and other government-notified days, will still apply. The move, aimed at making Kerala a more investment- and tourism-friendly state, was first proposed in the Excise Policy of 2023 and underwent multiple reviews by the Assembly’s subject committee before being finalised.

In addition to enabling liquor service in IT parks, the new liquor policy also brings in other reforms. It allows luxury cruises operating in Kerala to serve alcohol on board, aiming to boost tourism and the conference economy. Furthermore, it introduces special one-day permits for star hotels and resorts, enabling them to serve liquor even on designated dry days during business meetings, international conferences, and official gatherings. The new rules will come into force once they are published in the government gazette.