Shops, bars oppose 3 dry days mandated for upcoming MLC elections, AHAR & APRLV to approach court for relief – Times of India
MUMBAI: The Election Commission’s directive to the state excise department, asking them to impose three dry days for the elections to four teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies slated for June 26 in Mumbai, Konkan, and Nashik divisions, is not being taken well by shop and bar owners, as well as the administration, which strives to earn revenue for the government.
Sukesh Shetty, president of AHAR, an association of over 15,000 hotels and restaurants in the Mumbai region, said they are all set to challenge the decision in court. Similarly, Sumeet Chawla, vice president of the Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors (APRLV), said they are also approaching the court for relief, as these MLC (Maharashtra Legislative Council) elections have a very limited voter base. The APRLV has thousands of wine, beer, and liquor shops as its members across Mumbai and Maharashtra. According to Shetty and Chawla, three dry days will lead to a loss of business worth thousands of crores, besides affecting the salaries of lakhs of direct and indirect employees.
The Election Commission of India has announced elections for the four seats of the state legislative councils from the Mumbai graduates’ constituency, Mumbai teachers’ constituency, Konkan division graduates’ constituency, and Nashik division teachers’ constituency. Though polling is to be held on June 26, the commission has asked the excise department to impose a ban on liquor sale and services from 6 pm on June 24 till 6 pm on June 26, besides on the day of counting, i.e., July 1.
Pradeep Shetty, president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Western India (HRAWI), which has thousands of star hotels and premium bars as its members, said it has been a precedent wherein the commission announces dry days on a full scale, and eventually, the court restricts the same to the very day of the election and counting and for a very specific area. “We expect the same this time too,” he added. Meanwhile, senior excise officials said that around 15 years ago, such dry days were never implemented for MLC elections.
According to excise officials, as per the Bombay Shops and Establishment Act of 1948, such a rule exists only for general or assembly elections or by-election to any local authority. According to them, as well as liquor shop and bar owners, the move will indicate that the machinery had no faith even in the very limited, highly literate class which forms the voter base in these elections. The voters are scattered across constituencies, unlike the uniform common voter bases in general or assembly polls, and polling and counting are held within very limited or specific areas.
Sources in the excise department said if one considered the sale of around 29 to 30 lakh liters of alcohol per day, which generates excise, VAT, and license fees, the treasury gets around Rs 100 crore. Put together, all the taxes and fees surrounding alcohol, the state generates about Rs 36,000 crore in a year. “So, behind a single dry day, the loss of around Rs 100 crore in excise revenue has to be borne, given the annual revenue generated through 355 days of operations. In the state, the Mumbai metropolitan region, Konkan, and Nashik divisions generate huge revenue. Other than two days of polling, if one considers the counting day, the code of conduct will lead to a loss of at least Rs 150 crore in these divisions,” they added.
It may be mentioned here that upon the long-pending demand from almost all prominent political parties, the Election Commission has extended the polling time for the coming biennial election by three hours. The ECI’s decision comes days after political parties highlighted the issues likely to be faced by the voters on polling day due to limited hours for polling and a voter base unlike in the general or assembly elections.
Sukesh Shetty, president of AHAR, an association of over 15,000 hotels and restaurants in the Mumbai region, said they are all set to challenge the decision in court. Similarly, Sumeet Chawla, vice president of the Association of Progressive Retail Liquor Vendors (APRLV), said they are also approaching the court for relief, as these MLC (Maharashtra Legislative Council) elections have a very limited voter base. The APRLV has thousands of wine, beer, and liquor shops as its members across Mumbai and Maharashtra. According to Shetty and Chawla, three dry days will lead to a loss of business worth thousands of crores, besides affecting the salaries of lakhs of direct and indirect employees.
The Election Commission of India has announced elections for the four seats of the state legislative councils from the Mumbai graduates’ constituency, Mumbai teachers’ constituency, Konkan division graduates’ constituency, and Nashik division teachers’ constituency. Though polling is to be held on June 26, the commission has asked the excise department to impose a ban on liquor sale and services from 6 pm on June 24 till 6 pm on June 26, besides on the day of counting, i.e., July 1.
Pradeep Shetty, president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Western India (HRAWI), which has thousands of star hotels and premium bars as its members, said it has been a precedent wherein the commission announces dry days on a full scale, and eventually, the court restricts the same to the very day of the election and counting and for a very specific area. “We expect the same this time too,” he added. Meanwhile, senior excise officials said that around 15 years ago, such dry days were never implemented for MLC elections.
According to excise officials, as per the Bombay Shops and Establishment Act of 1948, such a rule exists only for general or assembly elections or by-election to any local authority. According to them, as well as liquor shop and bar owners, the move will indicate that the machinery had no faith even in the very limited, highly literate class which forms the voter base in these elections. The voters are scattered across constituencies, unlike the uniform common voter bases in general or assembly polls, and polling and counting are held within very limited or specific areas.
Sources in the excise department said if one considered the sale of around 29 to 30 lakh liters of alcohol per day, which generates excise, VAT, and license fees, the treasury gets around Rs 100 crore. Put together, all the taxes and fees surrounding alcohol, the state generates about Rs 36,000 crore in a year. “So, behind a single dry day, the loss of around Rs 100 crore in excise revenue has to be borne, given the annual revenue generated through 355 days of operations. In the state, the Mumbai metropolitan region, Konkan, and Nashik divisions generate huge revenue. Other than two days of polling, if one considers the counting day, the code of conduct will lead to a loss of at least Rs 150 crore in these divisions,” they added.
It may be mentioned here that upon the long-pending demand from almost all prominent political parties, the Election Commission has extended the polling time for the coming biennial election by three hours. The ECI’s decision comes days after political parties highlighted the issues likely to be faced by the voters on polling day due to limited hours for polling and a voter base unlike in the general or assembly elections.
