The News Minute | August 26, 2014 | 01:35 pm ISTThe United Democratic Front’s decision, later endorsed by the Kerala government, to have total liquor prohibition in the state has been given a green signal by the Kerala High Court. The Kerala High Court on Tuesday said that the prohibition policy can be converted into a law, and asked the state government to take the necessary steps. A bench comprising of Justice TB Radhakrishnan and PB Suresh Kumar has asked the government to come back with a concrete plan by September 17. The government’s attorney General informed the court that the government has decided to not renew the licences of 418 bars that were shut down in April this year for being substandard. Read: Coming soon! Dry days for Kerala, as UDF announces phased liquor prohibitionLast week, after much political deliberation the UDF had announced a phased liquor prohibition policy and had made it clear that 418 sub-standard bars that had already been shut down in the state will continue to remain shut; and 312 more liquor bars will be shut down from April 1, 2015.From April 2015, only five star bars will be allowed to function in the state and no new licenses will be issued to three-star and four-star bar hotels.Liquor will also not be available during Sundays in the state from April 1, 2015. In Kerala liquor is sold through outlets owned by the Kerala Beverages Corporation or Bevco. As part of the total prohibition, the state will start closing down Bevco outlets in a phased manner. Each year, 10% of the 380 odd outlets will be closed down.