Bhubaneswar: With panchayat polls approaching, the State Government has imposed restrictions on the sale of liquor on polling days. Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh wrote a letter to Collectors directing them to ensure the prohibition of liquor in constituencies and adjoining areas when the voting process is on.
The panchayat polls have been scheduled in Odisha on February 16 and February 24. Keeping this in mind, all shops selling IMFL/country liquor/foreign liquor will be closed for 48 hours ‘ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of poll up to the day following the poll day’.
Similarly, hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs will not be allowed to sell or serve liquor to anyone on the aforementioned days. The storage of liquor by individuals shall be curtailed during the period. “Intensify raids by joint teams of Excise, Police and Forest personnel to check illegal storage of liquor, during this period,” the letter further read.
