Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday, June 13, clarified that licensed establishments serving alcohol are not required to store identification documents of every customer. The clarification comes amid concerns and confusion over the implementation of recently reinforced age-verification norms for entry in establishments serving alcohol.
In a statement posted on social media, Priyank said some stakeholders had misinterpreted the government's notification and said that bars, pubs, restaurants and other licensed establishments are only expected to verify the age of patrons who appear to be below the legal drinking age.
"Alcohol-serving establishments are not required to check and store the ID of every individual, as some have interpreted. They are expected to verify the ID of those who appear to be below 21 years of age and deny entry unless they are accompanied by adults," the minister said.
Priyank reiterated that the legal age for purchasing and consuming alcohol in Karnataka remains 21 years. He warned that serving, selling or permitting the consumption of alcohol by anyone below that age is illegal and would attract strict action against licensed establishments.
He said the notification was intended to curb underage drinking, protect young people and encourage responsible alcohol consumption across the state. According to the minister, establishments serving alcohol have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the law and maintain vigilance against underage drinking.
The clarification comes days after Director General and Inspector General of Police MA Saleem issued a circular directing stricter enforcement of age-verification norms at pubs, breweries, bars, clubs, lounges, restaurants and other establishments serving liquor. The June 9 circular instructed outlets to verify the age of customers before granting entry or serving alcohol and introduced a "No ID, No Entry" policy as part of the enforcement drive.
The circular had triggered concerns among industry stakeholders, particularly over provisions relating to the retention of identification documents. Several pub and bar owners said that while the legal drinking age had remained unchanged for years, the notification created uncertainty over whether establishments were expected to retain photocopies or photographs of customers' identification documents for inspection purposes.