Dry Days In Mumbai: Liquor Shops To Remain Closed On These Dates Due To Maharashtra Polls

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared a holiday on November 20 for all the employees working with businesses and offices falling under the BMC limits.

Dry Days In Mumbai: Liquor stores will remain closed across Mumbai and other cities for four days to ensure a smooth conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly election on November 20. The sale of liquor will be banned in the city after 6 pm on Monday. The shops will also be closed on November 19, 20 and 23.

Dry days refer to the specific days of the year when the sale of alcohol remains completely prohibited in a given region. Such decisions are usually taken during several important national, religious or cultural events. Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra like Thane and Pune witnessed a dry day on November 12 on the occasion of Kartik Ekadashi.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared a holiday on November 20 for all the employees working with businesses and offices falling under the BMC limits to allow people to cast their votes.

The district election officer and Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani warned that any violations of the directive will result in action under the Election Commission's guidelines.

Aiming to enable all eligible voters in Mumbai Suburban and Mumbai City districts to exercise their voting rights, Gagrani has implemented various initiatives to boost the voter turnout.

"Employers must grant leave to their employees for voting on November 20 in their constituencies and the rule applies to all industrial sectors, corporations, companies and other establishments, ensuring that no wage deductions occur due to this leave," the statement read.

Maharashtra Has 9,70,25,119 Voters

As per the electoral rolls updated on October 30, the state has 9,70,25,119 voters, including 5,00,22,739 men and 4,49,96,279 women. Maharashtra has 6,101 transgender voters, 6.41 lakh divyang (persons with disabilities) and 1.16 lakh service electors, said Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Chockalingam.

The Election Commission will set up 1,181 polling stations in high-rises and residential complexes in Mumbai, Thane and Pune to boost the voter turnout, he said. As many as 210 polling stations will be set up in slums. For 1,00,186 polling stations, there are 2,21,600 ballot units, 1,21,886 control units and 1,32,094 VVPATs, the CEO said. There are 142 general observers, 41 police observers and 71 expenditure supervisors.

The counting of votes will take place on November 23.