The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Officials asked to check poll-eve liquor flow

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Officials asked to check poll-eve liquor flow

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, APRIL 13. Following a representation by anti-liquor agitators, the Chief Electoral Officer, M. Narayana Rao, here today asked the top brass of the Excise Department and district Collectors to contain liquor flow in the State on the eve of elections.

Mr. Rao wanted the department to immediately take steps to ensure closure of `belt shops' which, according to the agitators, were in all villages without any exception, selling cheap liquor and for nabbing the liquor dons responsible for pilferage from neighbouring States such as Maharashtra.

He warned excise officials against allowing bars and restaurants beyond the stipulated hours. Keeping these outlets open through late nights would vitiate the atmosphere across the villages and the campaign meetings and rallies.

The CEO, however, expressed helplessness over the demand for a ban on liquor one week in advance of the polling days. He said this concerned a policy decision to be taken by the Election Commission and the Government, adding that he would take up the matter with the commission.

Earlier, about 10 leaders of the Madhyam Vyatireka Aikhya Vedika, led by Malladi Subbamma, V. Lakshman Reddy of Jana Vignana Vedika, B.K. Tilak and Potturi Venkatewara Rao, a prominent journalist, met Mr. Narayana Rao in his Secretariat chamber, with a charter of three demands — a ban on liquor and toddy a week ahead of polling, closure of belt shops and strict enforcement. The delegation also included V. Sandhya, M. Ratnamala and P. Prema Pavani.

Mr. Lakshman Reddy, who is taking the lead in sustaining the movement carrying on mass education against liquor through kala jatha programmes, said later that liquor sales in the State had gone up by 20 per cent in the light of the elections.

Three per cent of the expenditure by parties was on liquor and toddy alone. The income to the Government and various agencies on account of this was Rs. 14,000 crores this year against the previous year's Rs. 4,000 crores. Out of this, Rs. 10,000 crores was from cheap liquor, which was consumed by poorer families.

The Vedika leaders contended that the liquor ban one week before the polling was possible because the entire wholesale in the State was routed through the AP Breweries Corporation which could be asked to close the trade for that week.

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