Tipplers in Visakhapatnam stock up ahead of dry days due to elections

Tipplers in Visakhapatnam rush to buy liquor in bulk before shops close for elections, limited to 1-2 bottles per person.

Tipplers lined up before many government retail outlets in Visakhapatnam on Saturday to buy liquor in large quantity as the shops will not be opened till the elections are over. At many government retail outlets, they were told to buy only one or two liquor bottles per head clarifying that the move was meant to limit alcohol consumption during the election time.

Dissatisfied with the move, people thronged shops to buy as many as bottles as they want for the next two days (Sunday and Monday). As a result, large queues of tipplers were seen till the shops are closed at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The manager of a retail outlet in Dwarakanagar said, “We have limited the sale of liquor to one or two bottles per person as per instructions.” Prohibition and Excise Department officials said that all liquor shops, bars, depots, distilleries and breweries have remained closed from 5 p.m. on Saturday (May 11) till the completion of elections on May 13 as per the Model Code of Conduct.

“Yes, all liquor shops were closed from Saturday evening to May 13th evening. On Friday (May 10), we recorded sales worth ₹4.9 crore in the district. There are 139 retail shops and 144 bars in the district. We limited the liquor sale as part of the efforts to ensure peaceful polling and avoid situations where parties or candidates influence voters by providing alcohol,” Visakhapatnam District Prohibition and Excise Officer V. Sudhir told The Hindu.

Overall, the State recorded an average sale of one lakh cases of liquor and around 40 lakh cases of beer per day. Political parties are believed to have kept huge stocks of liquor in all these days to satisfy voters and party workers.