Imphal: Ahead of the elections to the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur slated on April 19 and April 26, the Excise Enforcement Team, and the police department seized 761 liters of IMFL (whiskey/Rum/Beer) worth Rs 3.51 lakhs and 1,675 liters of Distilled Indigenous Country (DIC)liquor worth Rs. 3.36 lakhs and 100 kg of yeast worth Rs. 6,000 in the raids in Manipur’s Ukhrul district.
The Excise Enforcement Team, Thoubal District has also seized 150 litres of Distilled Indigenous Country (DIC) liquor worth around Rs. 14, 000 in the local market from Nongpok Sekmai Bazar under Heirok Assembly Constituency and Khoirom under Wangkhem AC on April 12 and 13.
The drives were conducted given the upcoming 18th Lok Sabha polls 2024 under the supervision of the Excise Commission as outlined in the direction of the ECI.
The seized DIC liter is worth roughly Rs 14,000 in the local market.
Manipur will have dry polling days (April 19 and April 26) and the Lok Sabha elections’ counting days (June 4). Liquor sales will be banned from 4 pm on April 17 until 4 pm on April 19, and from 4 pm on April 24 until 4 pm on April 26.
An official notification said that the sale or distribution of liquor at places like hotels, shops, restaurants, etc., whether public or private, within a polling area is prohibited.
Section 135C of the RP Act makes this a punishable offence with imprisonment of up to six months and/or with a fine of up to Rs. 2,000.
No spirituous, fermented, or intoxicating liquors or other substances like nature shall be sold, given, or distributed at a hotel, eating house, tavern shop, or any other places, public or private, within a polling area during the period of the last 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll for any election is that polling area.
The Election Commission of India has fixed the polling hours from 7 am to 4 pm on the poll day, April 19, 2024, for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency for the ensuing 18th General election to Lok Sabha, 2024.