Supreme Court
The Supreme CourtReuters File

In a reprieve to bar owners in Kerala, the Supreme Court Wednesday told the State Government not to enforce its order prohibiting functioning of non-five-star hotel bars till Thursday when the court will take up for hearing a batch of petitions challenging the ban order.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Anil R Dave asked the State Government to keep its hands off as it would hear the matter on Thursday when it was mentioned by a battery of senior lawyers representing different petitioners.

The Kerala government has passed an order banning the sale of liquor at bars and hotels below the five-star category and the ban order comes into force on 11 September.