Keralam Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao shifted amid differences with Minister over bar licence

Seeram Sambasiva Rao

Keralam Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao has been shifted from the post a few days after Excise Minister M. Liju publicly indicated his disapproval on the granting of bar licence to a lounge at the Kochi airport despite the government's objection to a similar application.

The Additional Excise Commissioner has been given charge in his place. Mr. Rao was appointed to the post in June 2026.

Mr. Liju had said that the department granted two licences without the government’s knowledge. Although application for a third was forwarded to the government, it was communicated that a decision could be taken only after the new Excise policy was adopted by the end of November. Still, proceedings were initiated on a fresh application.

The Minister had said that the Excise Commissioner should have consulted the government before taking the decision. Hinting at a relook at the process of granting bar licences, Mr. Liju had said on Monday that the government would investigate whether bar licences were granted in haste by some officials using loopholes in the system.

He said the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had in 2017 issued an order which enabled Deputy Commissioners to approve applications for upgrading beer and wine parlours to bar licences provided the establishments attain star classification.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan had also said on Wednesday that no bar licence would be issued without the government's knowledge.