Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has declared the voting days for the upcoming panchayat polls as dry days even as the ban on the sale of liquor will be in place for the counting days too, officials said.
The three-tier panchayat elections in Odisha will be held in five phases from February 16 to 24. The counting of votes will be held on February 26, 27 and 28. As per an order issued by the Excise Department, the liquor stores will be closed four hours before the polls to make the election alcohol-free.
The ban on the sale of liquor will be in place for the counting days too. Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh has also issued instructions to all district magistrates in that regard. There will be restrictions on the sale of liquor in liquor stores, restaurants and bars even as home deliveries cannot be made in the area concerned.
The Excise Commission said in a statement that it would reduce its supply of alcohol during the voting days.
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