Hyderabad: India is set to vote in the Lok Sabha elections as the first phase of the polls, covering 21 states and Union Territories, takes place on April 19. With it, the authorities would also enforce dry days
102 seats across 21 states and union territories will vote in the first phase of the 18th general elections that will be conducted across seven phases -- Phase 1 on April 19, followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The votes will be counted on June 4.
The states have accordingly declared dry days coinciding with voting days. Pertinently, the silent period of 48 hours before the phase 1 polling day starts from 5 pm on April 17, and with it starts the temporary ban on liquor in the respective 102 constituencies.
Enforcing ban on liquor sale is aimed to ensure that there is no influence on the democratic process from alcohol.
Here are the states that have announced dry days ahead of phase 1 elections:
Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation or Tasmac has announced dry days across the state on April 17, 18 and 19.
All 39 constituencies of the southern state will vote in phase 1 of the Lok Sabha 2024 elections.
The constituencies include: Tiruvallur, Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Sriperumbudur, Kancheepuram, Arakkonam, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Viluppuram, Kallakurichi, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Pollachi, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Sivaganga, Madurai, Theni, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari
April 17 is the last day of campaigning and the ban on sale/serving of liquor at Tasmac outlets, bars and recreational clubs begins on the same day till April 19, the day of polling. Sale of liquor will resume on April 20.
Rajasthan
The Rajasthan government has also declared a dry day in the State ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
On March 20, Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta had said that an order in this regard was issued by the Finance (Excise) Department. There will be dry days in the State from 6 pm on April 17 till the end of voting on April 19.
In the first phase in the State, voting will be held in 12 Lok Sabha constituencies — Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa and Nagaur.
The second phase of voting to be held is on April 26 and Bagidora assembly constituency bye-election. There will be a dry day in the state from 6 pm on April 24 till the end of voting on April 26. The voting will be held in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in the second phase. A dry day has also been declared on the day of the counting of votes on June 4.
Other states/UTs where dry day will be observed in respective constituencies ahead of Phase 1 of polls
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Everywhere)
- Arunachal Pradesh (Everywhere)
- Assam (Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Lakhimpur, and Sonitpur)
- Bihar (Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada)
- Chhattisgarh (Bastar)
- Jammu & Kashmir (Udhampur)
- Lakshadweep (Everywhere)
- Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Mandla, Shahdol, and Sidhi)
- Maharashtra (Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Nagpur, and Ramtek)
- Manipur (Inner Manipur and parts of Outer Manipur)
- Meghalaya (Everywhere)
- Mizoram (Everywhere)
- Nagaland (Everywhere)
- Puducherry (Everywhere)
- Sikkim (Everywhere)
- Tripura (Tripura West)
- Uttar Pradesh (Bijnor, Kairana, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Pilibhit, Rampur, and Saharanpur)
- Uttarakhand (Everywhere)
- West Bengal (Alipurduars, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri)
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