Elections no bar as liquor sales zoom outside GHMC

HYDERABAD: On the day of elections, liquor stores on the outskirts of the city outside the GHMC limits, reported massive sales. Huge crowds were seen outside the wine shops right from the morning which had permission to operate on Tuesday.

According to sources, a major part of this alcohol found its way to several areas of Greater Hyderabad, even as polling was on. This year, the State Election Commission (SEC), going by the Model Code of Conduct, had directed the closure of wine shops two days ahead of elections, starting on November 29 from 6 pm till 6 pm on December 1. The SEC had even directed the Telangana Excise Department to ensure stoppage of all illegal transport of liquor. 

“Bulk purchases were made early in the morning. Some shops were opened before regular hours,” said a source from near a wine shop at Bandlaguda in the outskirts of the city. According to him, many purchased cartons full of bottles for distribution in Hyderabad during polling. 

A wine shop owner told Express that sale of liquor was high on Tuesday but refused to comment on the bulk purchases. Before the dry spell started, most of the wine shops in the city reported a doubling of profits as Bacchus lovers were stocking up. 

Long queues were again noticed in the evening on Tuesday, as wine shops re-opened in Hyderabad. Memes soon surfaced on social media stating that the queues at liquor stores were longer than those at the polling stations.

SEC had imposed dry spell from Nov 29 to Dec 1 
Going by the Model Code of Conduct, the SEC had directed the closure of wine shops two days ahead of elections, starting on November 29 from 6 pm till 6 pm on December 1. The SEC had even directed the Telangana Excise Department to ensure stoppage of all illegal transportation of liquor