March 16: Odisha government has declared 5 days i.e. from March 22 to 26 as ‘Dry Day’ in view of elections to the urban local bodies. During the said days, supply and sale of liquor shall be prohibited in state.
In a letter, State Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh directed the Collectors and District Magistrates to ensure no spirituous, fermented or intoxicating liquors or other substances of a like nature shall be sold, given or distributed at a hotel, eating house, tavern, shop or any other place within a polling area during the period from 5 PM on March 22 to 26.
Besides, liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs, and other establishments selling and serving liquor shall not be allowed to sell alcohol, the letter read.
“Non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants etc and hotels run by anyone even if they are issued different categories of licences for possession and supply of liqour shall also not be permitted to serve liquor on these days,” the letter stated.
109 urban local bodies, including three municipal corporations will go for poll on March 24 and Counting on 26th March. The results shall be declared on March 26.
