TS rejects pre-poll liquor ban

Excise second highest revenue earner for state exchequer

The state government has rejected a request to completely stop the sale and supply of liquor till the Assembly elections are complete.

MLC Ramulu Naik had submitted a memorandum to TS Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar requesting for the sale and supply of liquor to be stopped till the completion of elections in the interest of the health of voters. Mr Kumar sent a memo to the TS Excise commissioner and district collectors along with Mr Naik’s memorandum.

But the state government decided against stopping the sale of liquor as the excise department is the second highest revenue earner for the exchequer. Besides, the state government had never stopped the sale of liquor during the election period.

A senior officer of the revenue department said that it was the routine duty of the Election Commission to forward every representation received from political parties and members of the public to the departments concerned. He said that the government would send a reply to Mr Kumar on its stand.

Mr Kumar also said that stopping the sale of liquor would affect government revenue. He said though his office was receiving requests to stop liquor sales till the end of elections, it was not possible because the state government gets more than 20 per cent revenue through liquor sales.

He said the sale of liquor would be stopped only on polling day.