Kashimira Hotel Association to oppose dry spell; moves court

Peeved over the imposition of a dry spell for the by-polls being held in a nearby district, the Kashimira Hotel Association (KHA) has moved the judiciary.

The petition moved by the association in the Mumbai High Court seeking cancellation of dry days in their district for the upcoming by-elections to the Palghar Lok Sabha segment will come up for hearing on Friday.

The by-elections in Palghar district is all set to have a spill-over effect in the adjacent Thane district, as the administration has declared dry days in some parts of the Kashimira-Mira Road belt which fall within the five kilometre radius along the borderline of the poll-bound region.

As per information sourced out from the excise wing, orders have been issued to 58 liquor vending establishments including 38 permit rooms, 13 beer shops and two country bars for remaining closed from 6 pm onwards on May, 26 till the conclusion of polls on May, 28 and again on counting day which has been scheduled on May, 31.

“Enforcing not one, but four dry days and that too for an election which is taking out of our own district is unjustified and will translate in huge losses for the industry. We have moved the court and are hopeful to get a reprieve,” said KHA president Santosh Puthran.

“The orders have been issued in accordance to the Maharashtra Foreign Liquor (sale on cash register of sales) Rules, 1969, Maharashtra Country Liquor Rules, 1973 and Maharashtra Toddy Shops (licensing) and Toddy Trees (tapping) rules, 1968,” said an excise officer.