The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : No ‘belt’ shops, says Excise official

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Wednesday, Mar 11, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

No ‘belt’ shops, says Excise official

HYDERABAD: Prohibition and Excise Commissioner Hiralal Samariya has denied the existence of ‘belt’ shops and informed a delegation of the AP Election Watch that the total licensed wine shops in the State are 6,594.

The delegation, led by former adviser to Election Commission K. J. Rao, urged him to ensure that all belt shops were closed and that there was no free flow of liquor during elections.

While denying the existence of such shops, he said that any shop selling liquor illegally would be liable for action.

Mr. Rao said the Election Watch, comprising several NGOs, would undertake a State-wide campaign against belt shops and keep a tab on such establishments for providing proof to the department.

‘Vote purchase’

Earlier, addressing women workers of the organisation at a regional convention, Mr. Rao hit out at political parties for vying with each other to “purchase votes”.

He told them to start a revolution by visiting neighbouring villages in batches and ensure that neither money nor liquor was distributed in during elections.

He urged them to tell their husbands not to sell ‘valuable votes’ for money or liquor.

Former Chief Secretary K. Madhav Rao also spoke.

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Andhra Pradesh