The ban had been in force since 1979, the early years of Sri Lanka embracing an open market economy. Many businesses had ignored the ban and employed women to serve alcohol and sold alcohol to them. Liberalizing alcohol consumption has been a sensitive issue in Sri Lanka, where the Buddhist clergy play a dominant role in society. However, liquor consumption is not banned in Sri Lanka and many Sri Lankans consume alcohol. Last week, the Finance Minister also amended regulations to allow liquor outlets to stay open an hour later, until 10 p.m.

Source: The Hindu January 15, 2018 12:36 UTC