Date:08/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/08/stories/2008050853510400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Dry days declared during poll period

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Election Commission has instructed the State Government and Chief Electoral Officer M.N. Vidyashankar to take necessary steps to ban the sale or distribution of liquor or other substances at hotels, eating houses, taverns, shops or any other place, public or private, within a polling area during the period of 48 hours up to the conclusion of polls.

The first of phase of elections will be held on Saturday (May 10) in 11 districts of the State. The second and third phase of polling would be held on May 16 and 22.

The commission has given the instruction under Section 135(C) of the Representation of the People Act 1951. It has instructed the Government to declare and notify ‘dry days’ under the relevant State laws.

The commission further directs that the day on which the counting of votes is to be done should also be declared ‘dry day’ under relevant State laws.

In its order to Chief Secretary Sudhakar Rao and Mr. Vidyashankar, the commission has said no hotels, restaurants, clubs and other establishments selling/serving liquor, should be permitted to sell/serve liquor to whosoever on the specified days.

Non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants and hotels who have been issued different categories of licenses for possession and supply of liquor, should also not be permitted to serve liquor on the days.

It asked the Government to take steps to curtail the storage of liquor by individuals during polling and counting days.