No liquor on poll weekend topples wedding plans

Patiala, March 11

The General Election announcement has had the big, fat wedding industry in Punjab worried, given the imposition of the model code of conduct from Sunday evening. More dry days and stringent checks on carrying liquor have left revelers dispirited.
With the state going to polls on May 19, the Election Commission (EC) will in all probability prohibit liquor sale on May 17 and 18, besides the polling day.

Further, in view of the model code of conduct, carrying liquor from one place to the other for even those with valid permission will not be without hurdles. “We don’t want candidates to store liquor in advance and therefore, carrying it will be tough,” says an EC official.

Besides, serving or distributing liquor on the polling day and 48 hours prior to it is an electoral offence.

However, this has already hit the big, fat wedding plans in the state.

Jaideep Narula, a wedding planner, said: “I have already received requests from two of my clients to shift the wedding venues. While one in Ludhiana wants to shift it to a hilly area for a destination wedding, the other family has cancelled their function on May 18.” “Even those weddings which don’t fall on the dates when the liquor is banned also get postponed or cancelled due to the strictness in the state,” he added.

Meanwhile, officials in the Excise and Taxation Department confirmed to The Tribune that they had already stopped issuing permits for two days prior to the polling day and the counting day. “Even if someone managed a permit before Sunday’s announcement, it stands cancelled,” they said.

Punjabi marriages are inconceivable without liquor. Punjabis consume almost 30 crore bottles per fiscal. The excise policy for 2019-20 is eyeing to collect Rs 6,201 crore from contractors during the next fiscal as against the anticipated mobilisation of Rs 5,462 crore for 2018-19.

“As 60 per cent liquor trade is in the hands of politicians and their aides, its misuse to influence voters cannot be ruled out,” said an election officer.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Election Officer KS Raju said the departments would act as per the guidelines of the Election Commission and it clearly states that liquor would not be served on specific dates. “The guidelines have to be followed,” he added.