The Karnataka HC has stepped in to adjust liquor sale restrictions ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections, issuing an interim order that alters the timeline of prohibition.
This move comes following a plea by liquor vendors who contested the original restrictions imposed by the police commissioner.
According to the revised order, the sale of liquor will be prohibited solely on polling day and during the subsequent counting day. This adjustment contrasts with the initial restrictions, which prohibited liquor sales from 6 am to midnight on February 16 and 6 am to midnight on February 20. The decision by the HC bench, led by Justice Krishna Kumar, takes into account various factors that include concerns raised by educators. With teachers serving as essential members of the voting populace, the court deemed it necessary to reconsider the prohibition on alcohol consumption during the election period.
Addressing the issue, the interim order emphasizes that restaurants will continue to serve food without any restrictions, ensuring citizens to access for essential services during the electoral process. Liquor sellers who had previously challenged the police commissioner’s ban on liquor sales in Bengaluru from 5 pm on February 14th to midnight on February 16th have welcomed the HC’s decision.
