Bacchus lovers please take note as Delhi will have three consecutive dry days starting December 2 due to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections on December 4. Liquor vends will also remain closed on December 7 on account of voting of votes.
Besides these restrictions, restaurants, five star hotels and bars cannot also serve liquor on these days, according to official here on Tuesday. Even canteens run by the armed forces are barred from selling liquor, they said. This ban is the standard drill in a poll bound area, they added.
Sale of liquor will stop at 5 pm on December two and will continue till 5 pm on December four when polling ends. Liquor stores, restaurants, hotels and bars cannot serve liquor throughout the day on Decemberseven, officials added. The forthcoming dry days come during the ongoing wedding season where liquor is served during festivities by some people. The restrictions have come as a dampener for the hospitality industry, sources said adding it will lead to considerable loss of income.
Given the restrictions, many buyers head towards the neighbouring NOIDA, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gurugram to stock up on their quota of liquor. However, strict checking at the borders to check smuggling during those days will also prove a hindrance, sources said.
Rajiv Sharma, a booze lover said that the liquor shops should not be closed, instead, the checking should be increased so that no political party or independent candidates use it to seek votes from the people.
