Sale of alcohol to be banned ahead of polling in Mumbai

Mumbai: Mumbai will go dry ahead of polling on Monday with the state excise department issuing a ban on the sale of liquor starting from 6 pm on Saturday until voting concludes at 6 pm on Monday.

The ban on serving and sale of alcohol will come into force as per the rules, which prohibit alcohol 48 hours ahead of the closing of polls in the voting constituency.

All the constituencies that will go to polls will go dry during the period with polling to be held in Mumbai on April 29. The ban is implemented in order to avoid influencing the voters and also to keep in check any law and order situation during the elections.

The ban will cover all clubs, pubs, bars, in hotels and outside along with the wine shops that will stay shut during the period. Anybody found violating the order will face criminal proceedings as per the Maharashtra Prohibition Act and the Maharashtra Police Act.  

With a gap of a day on April 30, the city will have another dry day on Wednesday May 1 on the occasion of Maharashtra Day. The whole of the state will be dry on May 1.

Ahead of three dry days in the city many people who can’t do without liquor are stocking up before Saturday 6pm.

According to officials those stocking up liquor at home need to be careful to keep receipts and should be bale to produce their liquor possession.

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