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Bhubaneswar: In a bid to ensure free and fair polls in Odisha, the State Election Commission (SEC) asked Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and Chief Secretary to declare 48 hours preceding elections and the duration of the polling as 'dry days' in 147 Assembly and 21 Loka Sabha constituencies where voters will cast their votes on April 10 and 17.
No liquor can be sold at shops or served in restaurants and hotels on May 16 also when the counting of votes will take place, the SEC notification said.
Steps should be taken to prohibit sale of liquor in adjoining areas of the constituencies concerned so that there is no chance of smuggling, the notification added.
Storage of liquor by individuals will also be curtailed during the dry period, said Naba Kumar Nayak, Additional Secretary, Chief Electoral Office.
Meanwhile, the CEO has already asked liquor shops across the state to install CCTVs to monitor the stock and sale of liquor every day while notifying for general polls in Odisha.
The Excise Commissioner is acting as the Nodal officer at the state level to monitor, supervise the production, bottling, off take and sale of liquor.
At the district level the Excise Superintendents are acting as the nodal officer to ensure that liquor is sold as per the guidelines of the election commission.
