State Excise Commissioner issues notification to all unit heads
Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, April 8 : Liquor shops in the district sharing borders with neighbouring states will remain closed ahead of poll-day. People will have to face problem accessing liquor for a longer period till Lok Sabha polls are completed in the neighbouring states.
On the directive of the State Chief Electoral Officer, L Khiangte, State Excise Commissioner, Bhor Singh Yadav on Monday issued notification to all the state excise unit heads to ensure that liquor shops in districts sharing borders with districts of bordering states are closed 48 hours ahead of poll-day.
�As per directive of the Election Commission we have to follow the same. Directive has been issued to the district and regional excise unit head to ensure that liquor shops are closed and dry day is declared 48-hours ahead on those days in which there are polls in the neighbouring districts of other states. This would be in addition to the 48-hours dry day period in the districts of our state on their own polling day,� said Bhor Singh Yadav, who is the nodal officer for implementing the order.
According to information, during 48 hours before the end of polling in any constituency, sale and distribution of spirit based liquor, intoxicant or any substance of the same nature will be prohibited in hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs, shops and any other public and private place on dry days declared by the commission.
Incidentally, Jharkhand�s district sharing borders with Bihar include, Koderma, Giridih, Deogarh, Dumka, GoddaGarhwa, Palamau, Chatra, Hazaribagh, and Sahibganj. While Garhwa is the sole district in Jharkhand which shares border with UP.
Latehar, Gumla and Simdega district shares border with Chattisgarh while Simdega, West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan and East Singhbhum shares border with Odisha.
Districts sharing borders with Bengal include, East Singhbhum, SeraikelaKharsawan, Ranchi, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Jamtara, Dumka and Pakur.
The state excise commissioner also said that the directive would executed in districts sharing border with Odisha�s bordering districts on dates of assembly polls in these districts.
“The Election Commission has directed for strict compliance of legal provisions. This system will also be followed on counting day as it is also declared dry day under the laws. During the counting day, sale and serving of liquor will not be permitted in shops, hotels, restaurants and clubs,” the EC said in its directive to states.
