PANAJI: The state excise department has started acting with an iron hand against those liquor outlets, including shops, pubs, shacks, clubs and provisional stores among others, which are found to be violating the election code of conduct-related order pertaining to ban on serving or selling liquors in the state after 11 pm.
Excise commissioner Menino D’Souza told this daily that from the time district magistrates of North and South Goa issued such orders, following the announcement of assembly election in Goa by the Election Commission of India, altogether 11 bars around the state have been booked for violation of the order, while in all 23 cases registered against them.
D’Souza said the cases pertains to various violations including keeping the liquor outlets open beyond 11 pm, illegal sale of liquor, and so on.
“The excise department has also been beefed up by way of provision of additional workforce in the form of election squads,” he maintained, stating that the action would be taken against the erring liquor outlets as per the Goa Excise Act, Excise Duty Act and Indian Penal Code.