Supreme Court Quashes Kerala’s 2007 Limit on Alcohol in Coconut Toddy, Drops All Related Cases

The Supreme Court has struck down the Kerala government’s 2007 notification capping ethyl alcohol content in coconut toddy at 8.1% v/v and quashed all prosecutions based on that limit.

A bench of Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar relied on an Expert Committee report recommending a revised limit of 8.98% v/v at 15.56°C.

The Court noted the State had accepted the report and re-notified the standard.

It held that prosecutions under the old limit were unsustainable, setting aside the 2007 order and all related cases under the Kerala Abkari Shops (Disposal in Auction) Rules, 2002.

[Komalan v State of Kerala]