Surprise liquor ban leaves Kolkata bars, shops and drinkers high and dry

Kolkata’s bars and liquor outlets shut down on Monday afternoon after a sudden excise directive linked to the West Bengal Assembly elections, leaving pubs, restaurants, and shop owners scrambling to interpret the order.

The Telegraph India reported that the restriction was enforced ahead of polling in the first phase, with some businesses stopping alcohol service immediately while others waited for clearer instructions from authorities.

Not your standard dry day window

According to the report, an Election Commission notification dated March 16 said liquor cannot be sold, distributed, or served within polling areas during the 48 hours leading up to the close of voting.

For West Bengal’s first phase, where polling is scheduled on April 23, the dry period was to begin at 5 pm on April 21 and continue until the end of polling. The notification applies to hotels, bars, restaurants, and liquor shops and is intended to prevent alcohol from being used as an inducement during elections.

The state excise department, in a communication dated April 19, said there had been an “unusual spurt” in liquor sales during the Model Code of Conduct period and flagged a “sudden growth” in the lifting of packaged liquor by retailers, along with more positive samples during inspections.

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Citing these concerns, authorities invoked special powers under Section 26 of the Bengal Excise Act, 1909, and directed district magistrates and police commissioners to shut liquor shops for longer periods in the interest of public peace. The closure period for retail excise establishments was extended to 96 hours, double the standard dry-day window.

The sudden dry spell took citizens by surprise

The impact was visible across the city, including Park Street, where establishments such as Trincas, Olypub, and Mocambo displayed notices and stopped serving alcohol, though kitchens remained open.

Business owners described the communication from authorities as unclear. One Park Street operator told the paper, “We received a call from an excise duty officer this morning and were asked to stop serving alcohol immediately. The sudden notification took us by surprise.” Another hotel spokesperson said staff were first told to halt service, then told they could continue, adding, “We are all confused as to what is happening.”