Panchayat polls: Restriction on liquor sales in Goa

Panaji: Goa will have restricted sale of liquor from Monday onwards as the state is readying itself for the May 16 panchayat elections.

State Election Commissioner M Modassir said that the sale of liquor would be stopped at 11 pm every day from April 23 onwards, the day when the Commission would start accepting nominations for the polls while there would be four dry days in a row from May 15 and 18.

Although polls are to be held only for the panchayat bodies, the restriction on liquor outlets will be enforced all over Goa, Modassir said.

There will be a total ban on liquor sales from May 15 to May 18, the date of counting.

State Excise Department has been instructed to form special squads to ensure that the ban is not violated, he said.

Polling will be held for the 180-odd panchayats on May 16.

According to Modassir, the code of conduct has already been announced as per which the state government should not declare new programmes or initiate new public work of any nature in the area where elections would be held.