The Oommen Chandy government has received a shot in the arm with a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court approving the State's liquor policy that seeks to bring down the number of bars in stages.

In a significant pronouncement, the court held that sale or consumption of liquor does not impinge on the fundamental right of citizens and that a State government has all the right to frame its liquor policy.

The Bench, comprising Justices K.T. Sankaran and Babu Mathew P. Thomas, cancelled a Single Bench judgment permitting opening of four star bars. With this, the State would be left with only 24 five star bars. Beer and wine parlours would continue, early reports indicated.

Details of the judgment, the pronouncement of which began onTuesday morning and ended only around 4.30 p.m., are awaited.