Liquor in Bengaluru banned till Saturday | Explained

Liquor sales have been banned in Bengaluru for four days because of the by-election for vacant seat of Karnataka Legislative Council.

Updated on: Feb 15, 2024, 14:23:27 IST

By Yamini C S

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Liquor has been banned in Bengaluru till Saturday. Here is everything you need to know about the ban.

All sale of liquor will be banned from today 5 pm onwards till 6 am on February 17. (REUTERS)

Why has liquor been banned in Bengaluru?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has scheduled the by-election for one vacant seat of the Karnataka Legislative Council on Friday. The seat in question became vacant after former MLC Puttanna resigned from both the Legislative Council and the BJP before the May 10 assembly election last year.

He contested from the Rajajinagar assembly constituency on a Congress ticket and lost to former minister and BJP candidate S Suresh Kumar. The election will set to take place from 8am to 4pm on Friday, and counting of votes will be undertaken on February 20, Tuesday, news agency PTI reported.

In this light, authorities decided to ban the sale of liquor for four days to prevent untoward incidents.

ALSO READ | Liquor ban in parts of Bengaluru on February 14. Here is why

In which parts of Bengaluru is the ban effective?

The ban will be in effect in all parts of the state capital during the days mentioned, excluding the areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the police commissioner.

Is the ban related to Valentine’s Day?

The liquor ban comes into effect on Valentine's day, when several youngsters and couples plan parties and hangouts. However, the ban is not related to the holiday, but coincides with the by-election to the Bangalore Teachers Constituency.

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Dates and Timings

All sale of liquor will be banned till 6 am on February 17.

Industry loss

Pubs and bars across the city are expected to incur huge losses - estimated at ₹500 crore - due to the four-day ban, especially missing out on the holiday cheer today, when massive crowds are expected at diners for dates, parties and romantic dinners.

This also prompted the Bengaluru City District Liquor Traders Association (BCDLTA) to write a letter to the ECI appealing officials to reconsider imposing four dry days in the city, The New Indian Express reported. The association said it expects around 3,700 establishments to be impacted by the ban, and said the state will also incur losses amounting to ₹300 crore in terms of excise duty.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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