Odisha: Excise Commissioner Bans Liquor Sale 48 Hours before Panchayat Polls

Bhubaneswar: The Office Excise Commissioner, Odisha has imposed a ban on the sale and distribution of liquor 48 hours before the commencement of the panchayat elections in the State.

Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh wrote to Collectors of all districts in this regard on Monday.
The panchayat polls will be held in five phases on February 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24.

In a letter, the Excise Commissioner has urged the Collectors to declare the poll day as Dry Day ensuring closure of licensed premises for retail sale of foreign liquor, IMFL and country liquor in the constituency area and adjoining areas during the during the period of forty-eight hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of poll up to day following the poll day.

No liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs and other establishments selling / serving liquor shall be permitted to sell/serve liquor to anyone whosoever, on the aforesaid days, the letter reads.

Non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants etc. and hotels run by anyone, even if they are issued different categories of licenses for possession and supply of liquor, shall also not be permitted to serve liquor on these days.

The storage of liquor by individuals shall be curtailed during the above period and the restrictions provided in the Excise-law on the storage of liquor in unlicensed premises shall be vigorously enforced.

Steps will be taken to prohibit sale of liquor in the areas adjoining the Wards to forestall chance of clandestine movement of liquor from the area, had the restrictions not been in-force.
Intensified joint raids by Excise, Police, Forest personnel will be resorted to avert any liquor related issue.