No permission for liquor stores during weekend curfew: Karnataka Excise Minister clarifies

The wine and liquor store owners who were waiting for the Karnataka government to announce some kind of relaxation will have to shut shops from 8 pm today, said state Excise Minister K Gopalaiah.

The minister clarified that many from the association had met him with representation and after having a discussion with CM Bommaid late Thursday evening, it was decided to shut wine stores. "The cases are surging and keeping public safety in mind, we have decided not to give any kind of relaxation now. We might decide next week about the same as Sankranti will be there," said the minister. 

Earlier, vice president of Wine Merchants, Karunakar Hegde, stated that the weekend is when the liquor business swells and the curfew will further dent the business, which is on the recovery path from the loss from 2020.

Also read: Another Karnataka minister tests COVID positive, R Askoka admitted to hospital

Some wine store owners waited until the last minute for the government to tweak the weekend curfew rules, such as take away and parcel service, but the talks failed. The excise minister had appealed to the delegation to cooperate with the government to follow the curfew and shut down their shops by 8 pm today.

Earlier, the minister admitted that the state would witness a loss to its exchequer by the rules on liquor; however, at present, the top priority before the government is to ensure strict implementation of Covid rules and tackle the infection spike.

The Karnataka government had announced a weekend curfew, ordered the shutting of all shops except essential services and banned all kinds of gatherings. The government also has imposed 50 per cent occupancy rules at pubs, bars and restaurants, and hotels.

• Karnataka Excise Minister
• No permission
• liquor stores
• weekend curfew
• K Gopalaiah