Thiruvananthapuram, 06 Nov (H.S.):

The Kerala government has transferred Excise Commissioner Seeram Sambasiva Rao following a controversy over the granting of licences to two bars at the Cochin International Airport in Nedumbassery, allegedly without the knowledge of the Excise Minister.

The transfer comes amid strong dissatisfaction expressed by the minister over the commissioner’s decision to issue the licences without prior consultation with the political leadership.

Sambasiva Rao has been appointed Special Secretary in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department. The Additional Excise Commissioner has been given temporary charge of the department.

The controversy erupted after it emerged that licences had been granted to two bars inside the airport premises. The Excise Minister had publicly criticised the commissioner’s actions, describing them as suspicious and an embarrassment to the department.

The minister subsequently requested the Chief Minister to remove Sambasiva Rao from his position, triggering discussions within the government over administrative accountability and the procedures governing the issuance of bar licences.

However, Sambasiva Rao defended his decision, maintaining that the licences were issued strictly in accordance with existing legal provisions.

In his explanation to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Taxes Department, the commissioner stated that the authority to issue FL-7 licences originated from regulations introduced during the Congress-led United Democratic Front government’s tenure in 2011.

He maintained that he had merely discharged his statutory responsibilities by following the established rules.

In a separate explanation submitted to the Excise Minister, Sambasiva Rao rejected allegations of procedural irregularities, asserting that all necessary communications regarding bar licences and other permissions had been forwarded to the government.

He also maintained that none of his decisions violated the state’s declared liquor policy.

Despite these explanations, the government proceeded with his transfer, bringing the controversy surrounding the airport bar licences into sharper focus.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman