The spirits are down this marriage season

It’s going to be a dry marriage season this year as political stars, out to campaign for their parties, would play spoilsport in the upcoming wedding months.

The Election Commission’s announcement to hold polling in Delhi on May 7, which astrologers say is also an auspicious day of the month for marriage, has spoilt the itinerary of wedding planners.

Though Delhi is scheduled for at least 20,000 weddings on May 7, stag parties and cocktail parties would have to take the back seat, as the commission has banned sale and consumption of liquor not only on the polling day but also two days before it. The ban will come into effect on May 5 and all liquor shops, hotels and bars would be out of business for the next three days.

“We have cancelled about 375 applications seeking licences to organise booze parties for weddings. But since there is a ban, we have to follow the rules,” said a senior officer in the excise department.

The officer said they had formed teams to keep a check on bootlegging from western UP towns and Haryana, where the prices of liquor are lower in comparison to those in the national capital.

Astrologers say that since May 7 is most auspicious day of the month, most of the families wanted to solemnise the wedding on that day.

“It is an auspicious day to tie the knot,” Bharat Bhushan, an astrologer, said, adding that the particular configuration of stars is making a favourable period called sarv-sidhh yoga (wish-fulfilling time).