Cash flows freely for illicit sellers, liquor for consumers in districts

With the flying squads and police keeping a close watch on sensitive pockets, liquor sellers prove tough for them and somehow manage to successfully carry out their business. As in other places, it was only the rate that was high, but there were no issues with availability of liquor.

On the other hand, the TASMAC outlets in a majority of urban pockets in the districts witnessed a roaring sale on Friday evening after the campaign ended.

A TASMAC supervisor in one of the southern districts claimed that in urban areas the sale of beer had increased by about 20 per cent in the last one week alone and on Friday evening the demand was immeasurable as the shops would remain closed till the election day. However, he said, in rural parts the situation was not that impressive. 

Even on the last day of campaign there was only a 10 per cent rise in sale as a majority of the customers are daily wagers. Some rural residents said that liquor would be easily available on the eve and on the day of election too. 

When the district managers of TASMAC were contacted they were tight-lipped owing to the EC order that no official data about the sale of TASMAC should be let out in media. 

The flying squad, which was busy checking cash movements till Friday, got an additional task of monitoring illegal sale of liquor from Friday evening. 

During one such drive in Pudukottai, flying squads seized more than 2000 liquor bottles that were hoarded in the houses of cadre of various political parties. The seized consignment was later handed over the government officials.