Alcohol shops witness rush after polling ends in Delhi

New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) Soon after the polling ended for Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats, alcohol shops across the city saw large number of customers even as some outlets declared they were out of stock and some only had limited varieties due to a stop of liquor sale a day ago.

The situation arose as liquor shops across Delhi, as per government and Election Commission orders, were asked to close their stores as campaigning ended at 6 p.m. on Friday and reopen only after the polling for the sixth phase ended at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The demand was high in east, north, west and outer Delhi areas while south and New Delhi functioned as routine with little rush.

According to some alcohol shop managers, they went out of stock on Friday itself and whatever remained was not enough to fulfil the demands of consumers on Sunday.

"As Saturday was a dry day (no liquor sales), people had purchased more alcohol on Friday. Because of high demands, we went out of stock on Friday. The remaining bottles are not enough to fulfil the demands today (Sunday). As the shops were closed for more than 36 hours, beer bottles are not cold enough," a liquor shop owner in east Delhi's Shahdara said.

Asked if the demand was higher after the polls than normal days, another liquor shop owner in Mayur Vihar Phase II, said: "The demand is as usual like common days. As the liquor stock in my shop is not enough compared to other days, it seems the demand is more."

Arpit Srivastava (name changed), a customer at a liquor shop in Yamuna Vihar in east Delhi, said beer bottles are very cold and the liquor he preferred was not available at any of five outlets where he had visited after the polling ended.

Saket resident Kabir Pathak said: "I am not much bothered as I had purchased enough bottles on Friday. I was looking for some cold beer but it does not matter if I don't get it."