Steps taken on liquor sale in Odisha

Necessary steps have been taken in Odisha to ensure that no liquor is sold or served in restaurants and hotels 48 hours before polling and declare April 10 and 17, when polling would be held, as 'dry days'.

"Special teams will be formed under excise commissioner to enforce dry days and check excess flow of alcohol," according to additional CEO Naba Kumar Nayak.

He said steps have been taken for keeping all bottling plants, warehouses, wholesale and retail liquor shops in the state under CCTV surveillance.

There will also be restriction on selling and serving of liquor on May 16, when counting of votes would be held, official sources said adding the steps for declaring dry days were taken following instruction from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

In a directive sent to all state chief secretaries, the ECI drew their attention to Section 135-C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which says liquor in any form cannot be sold, given or distributed at public or private places within a polling area.