25 April,2009 07:35 AM IST | | Urvashi Seth
The polls are getting more troublesome by the day for liquor traders.
The Election Commission has now asked the traders, who are already upset over the four consecutive dry days (from April 28 to May 1) to hand over a daily register of sales to the excise department from April 1 to May 16, the counting day. A special flying squad will also look out for any illegal trade in the state.
"We have been asked to keep a close watch in the city to ensure that liquor is not used to woo voters," said a senior excise official. "We are using the sales figures as an indicator. If legitimate sales suddenly dip, it indicates that the gap is being filled by illegal means."
The excise department is keeping a stringent vigil on the Daman and Diu border, which is a hub for the illegal sale of alcohol.u00a0
However, traders find the directive unreasonable. Freddy Ginwala, president, Maharashtra Wine Merc-hants' Association said, "Collecting daily figures is unreasonable, but we have little choice. Excise rules in Maharashtra are more stringent than in other states."
