29-04-14
Though the sale of country liquor was down between April 2013 and March
2014, it registered an increase by 1,03,529 litres in first seven days
of April 2014
By Kartik Lokhande
The official report forwarded by State Excise
Department to Election Commission of India (ECI), reveals that liquor
worth Rs 13.07 crore was sold in first seven days of the month of April,
that is till three days prior to polling for Lok Sabha seats.
Every time, the elections are held, people talk about sale of liquor and
transfer of cash. This time, Election Commission of India (ECI) had
kept a close vigil on both, which resulted in seizure of liquor and cash
both across the country. This time, polling for 11 Lok Sabha seats in
Vidarbha was scheduled on April 10. The administration had declared ‘dry
days’ on April 8 on account of ‘Ram Navami’, and on April 9 and April
10 on account of pre-polling and polling day. In these three ‘dry days’,
the official report does not reveal any sale of liquor in Nagpur
district. However, in seven days prior to these ‘dry days’, liquor sale
in the district zoomed to a whopping Rs 13,07,02,863/-.
The sale of country liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in
Nagpur district was worth Rs 10,64,61,856/- between April 1 and April 7,
2013. Compared to this, worth of the sale of country liquor and IMFL
registered a rise by Rs 2,42,41,007/- between April 1 and April 7, 2014.
This is the worth of sale arrived at by considering the ‘average’ rate
of country liquor and foreign liquor per litre. Thus, between April 1
and 7 this year (that is, a week prior to polling but barring three ‘dry
days’), liquor worth Rs 1,86,71,837.57 was sold in the district.
Interestingly, if one takes a look at the comparative figures of sale of
liquor, it comes to fore that sale of country liquor declined by
12,23,949 litres in 2013-14 as compared to 2012-13. However, the sale of
IMFL increased by 9,47,097 in 2013-14 as compared to that in 2012-13.
The overall worth of sale of liquor (country liquor and IMFL only) was
Rs 789.95 crore in 2013-14.
However, in only the seven ‘working’ days prior to polling for Lok Sabha
seats, the sale of country liquor registered a jump by 1,03,529 litres
as compared to the corresponding period last year. The sale of IMFL also
registered an increase by 13,238 litres in these seven days compared to
corresponding period last year.
According to sources, though the figures are of only the ‘reported’ sale
they reveal increase in sale of country liquor before polling date.
“There may be illegal sale that could not be detected. Besides, the
possibility of building up of stock prior to polling date cannot be
denied,” added the source.
However, Superintendent of Police (State Excise) Mohan Warde said that
the surveillance was very good during this election. “We had physically
sealed all retail sale shops in last two days before polling. Dry days
were declared on April 8, 9, and 10. Besides, the static surveillance
teams and videography teams were deployed at sensitive pockets to curb
the attempts to distribute liquor. The vigilance at check-posts along
the border to adjoining States also was stepped up,” he told ‘The
Hitavada’. According to him, all these steps prevented distribution of
liquor with the possible intent of influencing voters.
Date-wise reported sale of country
liquor and IMFL before polling
-------------------------------------------------------------
Date Country Liquor IMFL
---------------------------------------------------
Apr 1 65,725 9,592
Apr 2 70,390 10,511
Apr 3 62,215 8,598
Apr 4 74,384 12,955
Apr 5 69,717 11,164
Apr 6 75,835 14,740
Apr 7 96,895 22,100
Apr 8 -----------Dry Day------------
Apr 9 -----------Dry Day------------
Apr 10 -----------Dry Day------------
---------------------------------------------------
Total 5,15,161 91,071
---------------------------------------------------
(Figures in litres)
Month-wise comparative sale of
country liquor, IMFL (In litres)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Month Country Liquor IMFL
2012-13 2013-14 2012-13 2013-14
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 20,18,809 19,00,578 6,03,939 6,44,120
May 19,90,788 19,01,148 5,93,397 6,90,138
June 20,34,039 19,44,936 6,33,543 7,47,649
July 19,78,941 18,23,284 6,57,815 7,09,005
August 19,63,469 17,90,275 6,66,255 6,88,272
September 18,36,412 18,53,166 6,08,722 7,31,864
October 20,08,619 18,97,467 6,47,436 7,11,398
November 20,39,878 18,79,695 7,54,017 8,31,592
December 21,14,361 20,24,691 8,27,088 9,18,122
January 21,08,682 19,85,634 7,54,482 8,12,412
February 19,53,419 18,85,486 6,98,121 7,82,077
March 22,16,433 21,53,541 8,16,154 9,41,417
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Total 2,42,63,850 2,30,39,901 82,60,969 92,08,066
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