Thiruvananthapuram, June 23 -- The Kerala Assembly witnessed stormy scenes on Tuesday as the Opposition launched a scathing attack on the state government's proposal to introduce a lower tax rate for low-alcohol beverages, alleging that the move amounted to promoting liquor consumption under the guise of tax reforms.
The issue dominated proceedings, leading to repeated protests and disruptions in the House.
The controversy centres on the 2026-27 State Budget, which proposes a separate taxation structure for beverages containing between 0.5% and 20% alcohol by volume. Under the proposal, products with an alcohol content of 0.5% to 10% would attract a 120% sales tax. In comparison, those containing 10% to 20% alcohol would be taxed at 175%-...